Houston Rockets Stars Left Off NBA MVP Ladder As Season Begins

Last season, the Houston Rockets barely had any All-Star talent, with Alperen Sengun making his first appearance. It was mostly because the Rockets finished 52-30 with the second seed in the Western Conference, but the Turkish center still impressed, averaging 19.1 points, 10.3 rebounds and 4.9 assists per game.

Not that it's as important for the team's success, but Houston didn't have an MVP candidate despite the elite record. There were notable names on the roster, but none were highly regarded at the top of the league. Sengun was still making a name for himself last year, and his numbers didn't scream 'MVP.'

This season, the Rockets have more star power in Kevin Durant. The 37-year-old averaged 26.6 points, 6.0 rebounds and 4.2 assists last season, and comes into Houston as the No. 1 scoring option. The former MVP is undoubtedly one of the greatest scorers of all time.

With the Rockets now having a superstar with the proper supporting cast, one would think Durant, or maybe even Sengun, could crack the MVP ladder given their prowess. In the season opener against the Oklahoma City Thunder, Durant put up 23 points and nine rebounds, but the 23-year-old was the star of the show with 39 points, 11 rebounds, seven assists and two steals.

Even still, before the start of the regular season, the two were left off NBA.com's MVP ladder from Shaun Powell. Of the 10 names featured, none were from the Rockets.

The list featured the usual bunch: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Nikola Jokic, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Luka Doncic have been regarded as the top four players in the league for years. Naturally, they're the top candidates for the award.

Then comes the younger group of players who have begun to take the league by storm: Victor Wembanyama, Cade Cunningham and Anthony Edwards are leading potential playoff teams and title contenders early in their careers, poised for big numbers.

The rest of the ladder features established superstars in Stephen Curry, Jalen Brunson and Donovan Mitchell. While they all have cases to be in the top 10, it seems like Durant and Sengun have just as good a case, especially the Slim Reaper.

The award doesn't matter as much as the team's overall success, and Houston could end up being better than most of the teams the candidates belong to. If the Rockets find themselves at the top of the standings by February, we could see as many as multiple players featured in the All-Star Game, as the voters favor team success over stats when it comes to the bench.