Nikola Jokic Continues To Put Himself At Top Of MVP Conversations
Nikola Jokic has been the face of the Denver Nuggets for the last several seasons and he has cemented his spot in the team’s lore by winning the league’s MVP award in 2021 and 2022.
Now, Jokic is looking to become just the third player in league history to win the NBA’s MVP award in three consecutive seasons, possibly joining the likes of Larry Bird (1984-86) and Wilt Chamberlain (1966-68).
As things currently stand, the Nuggets are 34-14 entering Wednesday night’s game against the Milwaukee Bucks and Jokic has once again elevated his play to another level.
In the month of January, Jokic is averaging 23.8 points, 11.3 rebounds and 11.2 assists per game while shooting 67.4 percent from the floor. Oh, and it is hard not to mention that the Nuggets are 9-1 in games that he has played in this month and Denver has won 20 of their last 24 games.
“I’m just playing the game,” Nikola Jokic said after the Nuggets’ most recent game on Tuesday night against the New Orleans Pelicans, a game in which he recorded 25 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists for his league-leading 15th triple-double of the season. “I’m glad I found open teammates. I actually made the last basket. I’m just glad that we won the game. Individual awards don’t really matter.”
Perhaps the most impressive statistic for Jokic right now is the fact that the Denver Nuggets are 15-0 when he records a triple-double this season.
Missing the team’s last two games prior to Tuesday night’s game against the Pelicans with a hamstring injury, Jokic picked up right where he left off and recorded his fourth consecutive triple-double, seventh triple-double overall in 2023.
As far as his hamstring injury goes, Jokic did mention after the game that this hamstring tightness that he has been dealing with is “not something major” and that he is good to go.
When you look at everything he has been able to accomplish this season, it truly is hard to overlook Nikola Jokic in the MVP conversation right now.
Sure, he has won the award in back-to-back years and there will be plenty of people talking about “voting fatigue” when it comes to Jokic on social media, but this is not something that affects the true MVP voters.
Those around the league who are voting on the award at the end of the year know just how good of a talent Nikola Jokic is and that is why he won the award the last two seasons.
During the 2020-21 season, the first year Jokic was named MVP, he averaged 26.4 points, 10.8 rebounds and 8.3 assists per game while shooting 56.6 percent from the floor. The Nuggets finished with a 47-25 record that year, good for the 3-seed in the Western Conference.
During the 2021-22 season, the second year Jokic was named MVP, he averaged 27.1 points, 13.8 rebounds and 7.9 assists per game while shooting 58.3 percent from the floor. The Nuggets finished with a 48-34 record last season and claimed the 6-seed in the conference.
Now this season, Jokic is averaging 25.1 points, 11.0 rebounds and 9.9 assists per game while shooting 62.9 percent from the floor, arguably his most efficient season ever. The Nuggets own the top spot in the Western Conference and should that hold up, there is really no argument you could make against him for another player in the same conference.
Maybe one could say Jayson Tatum is deserving of being the MVP given the way he has led the Boston Celtics this season and since the Celtics own the league’s best record, but Nikola Jokic is the Denver Nuggets and he is the reason why they have propelled themselves to being a true championship contender.
It is really hard to come up with an argument as to why Nikola Jokic should not be the NBA’s MVP for a third straight season right now.
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