NBA: Top 10 candidates for MVP in 2017-18

8. Anthony Davis

Back in 2014-15, Anthony Davis posted one of the greatest Player Efficiency Ratings in NBA history while singlehandedly dragging the New Orleans Pelicans to the 8-seed in a loaded Western Conference. Since then, the Brow and the Pellies have not been back to the playoffs.

Will that change in 2017-18? It’s hard to say. The West is even more brutal than it’s ever been, and even with DeMarcus Cousins and Jrue Holiday flanking him, NOLA’s supporting cast still leaves a lot to be desired. Head coach Alvin Gentry also has a long way to go in proving himself as the right man for the job.

So even if the Pelicans sneak into the West as the sixth, seventh or eighth seed, it’s going to take a monumental season from AD to join Westbrook as an MVP winner in the modern era whose team finishes outside of the top three in the conference standings.

Entering his age-24 season, it’s not impossible for Davis to do so, however. He just put up a career-high 28.0 points, 11.8 rebounds, 2.2 blocks, 2.1 assists and 1.3 steals per game. He still isn’t a 3-point shooter, but if he can slightly expand his range, take his game to the next level defensively and lead the Pelicans to the playoffs, maybe gargantuan numbers will carry the day.