NBA history has given us some unforgettable MVP battles—Shaq vs. Nash, Harden vs. Giannis, Rose vs. LeBron, and the legendary Bird vs. Magic rivalry. These intense matchups are a testament to the NBA being the most competitive league in professional sports.
Even now, certain MVP awards remain hot topics of debate among basketball analysts. These races are always fierce, often sparking controversy that lingers for years.
5 Best NBA MVP Races
1989-90 – Magic Johnson, Charles Barkley And Michael Jordan
The 1989-90 MVP race was not only the closest in NBA history but also the strangest. Charles Barkley received 11 more first-place votes than Magic Johnson yet lost the award, making him the only player ever to miss out despite leading in first-place votes. He finished 22 points behind Johnson, while Michael Jordan placed third, trailing by 72 votes.
Barkley led the 76ers to a top Eastern Conference record, averaging 25.2 points, 11.5 rebounds, and 1.9 steals. Still, voters favored Johnson’s 22.3 points and 11.5 assists, especially with the Lakers finishing with the NBA’s best record.
Jordan, meanwhile, dominated with 33.6 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 6.3 assists, leading the league in scoring and guiding the Bulls to the East’s second-best record behind the champion Pistons.
Barkley finally won MVP in 1992-93, while Jordan went on to claim five, the second most ever.
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1996-97 – Karl Malone And Michael Jordan
The 1996-97 season saw a fierce battle between the Bulls and Jazz, both boasting the NBA’s best records. Their stars, Michael Jordan and Karl Malone, also went head-to-head for MVP honors.
Malone edged out Jordan by 29 votes—the second-closest race ever—to claim his first MVP. He averaged 27.4 points, 9.9 rebounds, and 4.5 assists. Jordan, who led the league with 29.6 points per game, also posted 5.9 rebounds, 4.3 assists, and 1.7 steals but fell short of winning back-to-back MVPs.
Jordan later took home the 1997-98 MVP, but before that, he got his revenge in the Finals. The Bulls defeated the Jazz in six games, with Jordan delivering his legendary flu game.
2004-05 – Steve Nash And Shaquille O’Neal
The 2004-05 MVP race featured two stars who joined new teams. Steve Nash returned to the Suns, who drafted him in 1996, while Shaquille O’Neal left the Lakers after a trade to Miami.
Nash won his first MVP, averaging 15.5 points and 11.5 assists. He edged out Shaq by seven first-place votes and 34 overall. Despite leading the Heat to the East’s best record with 22.9 points, 10.4 rebounds, and 2.3 blocks, Shaq fell short. Nash won another MVP in 2005-06, while Shaq’s lone MVP came in 1999-00.
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1998-99 – Karl Malone, Alonzo Mourning And Tim Duncan
Karl Malone’s second MVP in the 1998-99 season was another tight race, this time against Alonzo Mourning and Tim Duncan.
That season was shortened to 50 games due to a lockout, and Malone averaged 23.8 points, 9.4 rebounds, and 4.1 assists over 49 games. He won the award by 54 votes over Mourning and 87 over Duncan.
Mourning, with career-best numbers of 20.1 points, 11.0 rebounds, and 3.9 blocks in 46 games, fell short. Duncan, in his second year, posted 21.7 points, 11.4 rebounds, and 2.5 blocks, leading the Spurs to the NBA’s best record.
Mourning never won an MVP, but Duncan secured back-to-back awards in 2001-02 and 2002-03 while also leading San Antonio to its first title in 1998-99.
2001-02 – Tim Duncan And Jason Kidd
The 2001-02 MVP race was a close battle between Tim Duncan and Jason Kidd. Duncan led the Spurs to the NBA’s second-best record, trailing only the Kings, while Kidd guided the Nets to the East’s top spot.
Duncan secured his first of back-to-back MVPs, winning by 57 votes after averaging 25.5 points, 12.7 rebounds, and 2.5 blocks over 82 games.
Kidd, who posted 14.7 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 9.9 assists, fell short in both the MVP race and the Finals, where the Lakers swept the Nets. Though he never won MVP, he later claimed a championship with Dallas in 2010-11.
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