Donovan Mitchell's Exclusion from MVP Conversations is Unprecedented

Mitchell was excluded from NBA.com's latest MVP ladder.

Before Donovan Mitchell left the game against the Pacers with an ankle sprain on Friday, Mitchell was averaging 29.6 points per game since the All-Star break. That is the most by a Jazz man since Karl Malone in 1990 according to ESPN stats.

Mitchell has averaged 29.6 PPG since the All-Star Break, most by a Jazz player since Karl Malone averaged 30.5 PPG after the break 30 years ago, according to @ESPNStatsInfo. https://t.co/k8diNKq5HQ

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) April 17, 2021

As things currently stand, the Utah Jazz have the best record in the NBA. According to Justin Kubatko, there "have been 15 cases in which a player averaged at least 25 points per game and 5 assists per game for the team with the NBA's best record."

Donovan Mitchell is averaging 26.5 PPG and 5.3 APG for the NBA-leading @utahjazz this season.

There have been 15 cases in which a player averaged at least 25 PPG and 5 APG for the team with the NBA's best record:

✅ 13 won the MVP Award
✅ 1 finished second
✅ 1 finished sixth pic.twitter.com/oClpdzODeK

— Justin Kubatko (@jkubatko) April 14, 2021

13 of the 15 won the MVP award.

One finished second in MVP voting.

One finished sixth.

On Friday morning, NBA.com updated its MVP ladder. Mitchell was excluded from the top-10.

https://t.co/wWGNmWnCY9’s updated MVP ladder:

1) Nikola Jokic
2) Joel Embiid
3) Luka Doncic
4) Giannis Antetokounmpo
5) Damian Lillard
6) Kawhi Leonard
7) James Harden
8) LeBron James
9) Stephen Curry
10) Rudy Gobert

— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) April 16, 2021

Mitchell's exclusion from MVP conversations is unprecedented. And it won't get any better for Jazz fans that are waiting to hear Mitchell's name included in the MVP conversation - Mitchell will miss multiple games due to the ankle sprain he suffered against the Pacers.

We're not saying he should be the MVP, but his complete exclusion is puzzling. 

The Jazz will be without Mitchell, Gobert, Favors, and Conley when they take on the Lakers on Saturday afternoon.

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