And the MVP of the NBA’s first month is …

A panel of Sports Ilustrated writers makes its picks for the NBA MVP and the top rookie a month into the season:

MVP

Howard Beck: Steph Curry, easily. He leads the league in scoring (28.7 points per game) and three-pointers (5.4) and has staked the Warriors to the NBA’s best record (13–2), with a patchwork rotation around him. Oh, and his team just smoked the Nets (11–5), the team of his closest MVP rival.

Ashley Nicole Moss: Steph Curry. A very popular pick, but the man is playing on a different level. His work ethic is always celebrated and it’s easy to see those results in every game. Nine threes in back-to-back games vs. Brooklyn and Cleveland? He’s incredibly unreal. And if you think the Warriors look sensational now, just wait until Klay Thompson gets back.

Rohan Nadkarni: Nikola Jokic. His efficiency has been off the charts, and, most importantly, he’s carrying the biggest burden. The Nuggets have an awful bench, Jamal Murray hasn’t played and Michael Porter Jr. is dealing with back issues. No great player on a good team has been dealt a worse hand than Jokic, who has taken a step up from his MVP campaign in 2021.

Michael Pina: Steph Curry. The Warriors are the best team in the NBA and their offensive renaissance is almost entirely thanks to Curry’s unprecedented shooting, off-ball movement and selflessness. When he’s on the court, the Warriors are plus-195. When he sits, they’re minus-5. That’s not a coincidence.

ROOKIE

Moss: Scottie Barnes. Listen, this kid has been putting the rest of the rookies on notice. A versatile sixfoot-seven wing averaging 16 points per game and shooting more than 50 per cent from the field? It looks like the Raptors have found the foundation for their future and, so far, it’s looking bright.

Beck: Evan Mobley. It’s no small task to revive the moribund Cavaliers, but Mobley has done it with his enviable combination of size, skill and versatility. He leads all rookies in blocks (1.6 per game), is second in scoring (14.6) and rebounding (8.0) and has helped the Cavs become a top-six defence. That said, Scottie Barnes is just as worthy a candidate and will surge to the lead while Mobley misses time with a strained elbow.