Historically, there are four factors that go into determining the MVP. There is no magic formula(as people have fruitlessly tried to develop them) because “value” itself is not the type of thing you can nail down. It is deliberately ethereal in nature, and it can change from one day to the next.

　　magic formula：魔法公式

　　从历史上看，决定MVP有4个因素。不存在所谓魔法公式（有人试图列出来，那纯粹是徒劳无功），因为“价值”（Value）本身就不是那种你可以确定其类型的东东。它在本质上是有意为之的虚幻飘渺，而且随着时间流逝，也会发生种种变化。

　　Just as your house changes in value from one year to the next, even if it remains exactly the same, numerous other factors play into things that cause it to go up or down. Value is not a constant, and neither are the relative pulling factors, but there are primarily four factors which affect the notionof “value” when it comes to the MVP award.

　　正如你的房子一样，一年一年，它的价值会发生变化，即便房子和以前完全一模一样，也有许多其他因素掺杂其中，影响到其价值的上升或下降。价值 不是一个常数，也不是相对的推动因素，但在MVP的评选中，主要有4个因素影响“价值”这一概念。

　　notion [ no n] n. 概念，观念; 见解;

Stats matter

　　数据至关重要

　　Stats matter. Typically, the MVP doesn’t have to be the best player statistically, but he does have to be a top-five player. This traditionally includes the box score numbers and more recently also involves how well a player does in the advanced stats.

　　数据至关重要。通常情况下，MVP不一定是统计数据最好的球员，但他必须成为前五。这通常包括各项技术统计，近来还涉及到球员的高阶数据的表现。

　　Kawhi Leonard, who fares better in the advanced numbers which reflect defensive impact, for instance, did better in the voting last year than he might have in previous years. Isaiah Thomas, who’s Defensive Real Plus-Minus, was horrible, probably got hurt in the MVP vote.

　　例如，科怀-伦纳德，他在反映防守影响力的高阶数据上表现得更好，这让他在去年比起往年来收获了更多的投票。伊塞亚-托马斯，他的真实防守正负值，可能使他在MVP投票中很受伤。

　　Defensive Real Plus-Minus；真实防守正负值

　　Still, Russell Westbrook’s win was mostly powered by the fact that he averaged a triple-double, so don’t overlook the importance of the basic numbers in the minds of voters.

　　尽管如此，拉塞尔-威斯布鲁克当选MVP大多是基于他场均拿下三双的成绩这一事实，所以不要忽视投票者心目中基础数据的重要性。

　　typically [ t p kl ] adv. 通常; 典型地; 代表性地;

Winning

　　胜场

　　I’ve seen and heard a lot of people suggest that Westbrook winning last year means that “winning doesn’t matter anymore.” I’m hesitantto agree with that. I think that was an exception to the rule, not a change in the rules.

　　hesitant；迟疑的

　　我见到很多人都认为威斯布鲁克去年的胜利意味着“胜场不再重要”。我并不十分赞同。我认为这是规则的一个例外情况，而不是改变了规则。

　　It was the first time since Michael Jordan’s first MVP win in 1987-88 that a player won that didn’t have a top-two seed.

　　这是自迈克尔-乔丹在1987-88赛季获得MVP以来的第一次，该球员所在球队并非分区前两名。

　　Before extrapolating that as a change in voting behavior, I have to see more than one exception to the rule. I think in this case the other factors just outweighed the winning factor.

　　在断定投票行为确实有此变化之前，我需要更多的例证。我认为在这种情况下，是因为其他因素刚好压制了胜场因素。

teamates

　　队友

　　There are only two times in NBA history where an MVP winner had a teammate finish in the top five in voting. Jordan and Scottie Pippen in 1995-96 and Moses Malone and Julius Erving in .

　　1982-83. NBA历史上，只有两次MVP得主，其队友所获票数也在前五之列，这是1995-96赛季的乔丹和斯科蒂-皮蓬，在1982-83赛季的摩西-马龙和朱利叶斯-欧文。

　　It’s a careful balance between having teammates who are good enough to help you win, but not so good that they draw votes away from you in the voting. This could be a little more interesting this year with so many superstar tandems being the new norm in the NBA.

　　有一位足够优秀的队友帮助你取胜是一个很好的平衡，但他们也会在投票中分走你的选票。今年这会变得更有趣，因为联盟现在有已成常规的众多的超级巨星组合。

Narrative

　　故事

　　For better or worse, “narrative” is a thing. Kobe Bryant won his award, in part because of “career achievement.” Derrick Rose humble origins won him a lot of support when he won in 2010-11. And Russell Westbrook’s triple-double chase was a big part of him getting votes. Narrative matters to voters, whether it should or not.

　　不管是好是坏，“故事（Narrative）”也占很大比重。（我有故事，你有酒吗？）科比-布莱恩特获奖，部分是因为“职业成就”。德里克-罗斯出身低微，让他在2010-11赛季赢得了很多的支持。拉塞尔-威斯布鲁克的场均三双是他获得选票的重要部分。“故事”对投票者至关重要，不管是否它本应如此。

　　These four factors each weigh in but they are not constants in how much they matter. My rankings are based on how each of the players is measuring up based on each. And with that introduction, here are the first rankings of the year.

　　这四个因素分量各不相同，但它们占比并非一成不变。我的排名是基于每一个球员在每个单项上应该如何衡量而作出的。开场白到此打住，以下是今年第一期排名。

1. Giannis Antetokounmpo

　　1.扬尼斯-阿德托昆博

　　The “Greek Freak” is the leader out of the gates, and with good reason. He’s averaging 34.7 points, 10.7 rebounds and 5.5 assists, along with 2.0 steals and 0.8 blocks. He’s doing that while shooting a ridiculous 63.1 percent from the field.

　　第一位隆重出场的是 “希腊怪物”，理由当然很充分。他场均得34.7分，10.7个篮板和5.5次助攻，2个抢断，送出0.8次盖帽。与此同时，他的投篮命中率是令人惊诧的63.1%。

　　His advanced stats are even better with a 67.8 true shooting percentage. He leads the NBA in Player Efficiency Rating (36.5), Win Shares(1.7), Win Share per 48 (.351), Box Plus-Minus(12.5) and VORP (0.9).

　　他的高阶数据甚至更好，真实命中率为67.8%，在以下各项排名中均位列第一：球员效率值（36.5，PER）、胜利贡献值（1.7，WS），每48分钟的胜利贡献值（0.351，WS per 48），技术统计正负值（12.5，BPM）和VORP值（0.9） （绝对价值差）。

　　Player Efficiency Rating 球员效率值

　　Win Shares 胜利贡献值

　　Box Plus-Minus 技术统计正负值

　　If he keeps that kind of dominance up, he might win regardless, but the one big concern that could hold him back is whether the Milwaukee Bucks can fight for a top-two seed in the East.

　　如果他继续打出这种统治级的表现，毫无疑问他会获得MVP，但最让人担心的是，密尔沃基雄鹿队能否在东部夺得前两名的席位。

2. James Harden

　　2. 詹姆斯-哈登

　　Harden is averaging 25.6 points, 9.4 assists and 4.9 rebounds this season. That’s not quite where he was last year but it’s still pretty impressive totals.

　　本赛季哈登平均每场得25.6分，有9.4次助攻和4.9个篮板。这和去年的数据大有不同，但总的来说还是非常可观的。

　　He also has the Rockets competing for the No. 1 seed with a 5-2 record while his superstar teammate, Chris Paul, has missed most of the season with aknee injury. And really, where would be without Harden finishing second in the voting?

　　他也让火箭有了争夺西部第一的实力，目前球队5胜2负。而且他的队友克里斯 保罗，另一位超级巨星，因为膝伤错过了好几场。真的，哈登如果不是在投票中名列第二，那他会在哪个位置呢？

　　knee injury：膝伤

3. Blake Griffin

　　3.布雷克-格里芬

　　Griffin is averaging 24.8 points, 9.6 boards and 4.4 assists in leading the Clippers to the NBA’s best record and the best scoring differential in the wake of Paul’s departure via trade. Their net rating is also 12.4 points better with Griffin on the court.

　　格里芬平均每场拿下24.8分，有9.6个篮板和4.4次助攻，带领快船队获得NBA现今最佳战绩，也是在保罗被交易离队之后，球队打出了最好的获胜分差。格里芬在球场上时，他们的净积分是12.4分之高。

　　He has a great chance to climb up the rankings quickly if the Clippers continue to establish themselves as one of the NBA’s elite teams, but this early, skepticism is understandable.

　　如果快船继续把自己打造成NBA的一流球队，格里芬很有可能快速提升排名，但是现在排名第三，对他的综合能力略有质疑，也是可以理解的嘛。

4. Stephen Curry

　　4. 斯蒂芬-库里

　　The Warriors are only 4-3, which is a pretty big shock. They’ve been playing bored through the first part of the season and have not been engaged on the defensive end. But we can’t jettison preseason expectations entirely just two weeks into the season.

　　勇士仅以4胜3负开局，这相当令人震惊。他们在整个赛季的前面几场比赛打得相当无趣，并且没有积极参与防守。但是我们不能仅仅因为两周的比赛就抛弃赛季前的预期呀。

　　Curry is second in the league in Win Shares and whoever leads the Warriors in Win Shares will get the most votes on the team. It would be a shock if the Warriors didn’t finish with the NBA’s best record.

　　库里在联盟胜利贡献值（WS）排名中位列第二，而且我们知道，谁在勇士队中的胜利贡献值最高，他也会获得球队最多的选票。如果勇士没有收藏NBA最好的记录，那就太让人惊讶了。

　　5. John Wall, Washington Wizards

　　5.约翰-沃尔，华盛顿奇才

　　The Eastern Conference seems a bit up for grabs with Gordon Hayward injured and the Cavaliers floundering. The best player on the team that wins that top seed will likely be in the MVP conversation.

　　在东部，这个位置蛮有点待价而沽的味道。凯尔特人的戈登-海沃德受伤，骑士队挣扎不已。赢得东部头号种子的球队中最好的球员，很可能参与到MVP的竞逐中来。

　　Right now, it looks like the Washington Wizards might the favorites for that (with apologies to the Detroit Pistons; I need to see more first). At 21.7 points and 10.3 assists per game, Wall would be the favorite then.

　　现在看来，华盛顿奇才可能是最受欢迎的（向底特律活塞说声道歉，因为我需要看到更多实力的展现）。队中最好的球员是沃尔，场均得21.7分和送出10.3次助攻，那么就是他了。

　　Honorable Mention (in alphabeticalorder): Jimmy Butler, Kawhi Leonard, DeMarcus Cousins, LeBron James, Russell Westbrook.

　　alphabetical：依字母顺序的

　　其他提名（按字母顺序）：吉米-巴特勒（森林狼），科怀-伦纳德（马刺），德马库斯-考辛斯（鹈鹕），勒布朗-詹姆斯（骑士），拉塞尔-威斯布鲁克（雷霆）