Anthony Davis is basically an NBA MVP candidate every season he plays enough games to be considered. He puts up video game numbers and makes his team inordinately better when he’s on the court. But lately, since DeMarcus Cousins went down, The Brow has been on another level entirely.

The Pelicans have won five straight (including a Sunday heartstopper) to stay in strong position in the Western Conference playoff race, and A.D. is averaging 39-14 with more than 3 steals and 2 blocks over that span. On the season, he’s at 28-11 on 54 percent shooting.

David Fisher makes the case that Davis is in the MVP race. I have him in the top three with James Harden (the overwhelming favorite) and Giannis Antetokounmpo. The Pelicans are now No. 6 in the West, which means avoiding the Rockets and Warriors in the first round of the playoffs, which means they’d have a shot at winning a series. That’s something Davis has never done, and while it wouldn’t impact the MVP race, it’d be HUGE for his career and the Pelicans’ future.