Jokic

Could Nikola Jokic Really Threepeat as MVP?

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As the season moves towards the new year, the talk of the 2023 MVP award has intensified. While names like Jayson Tatum, Luka Doncic, and Giannis Antetokounmpo have remained in the conversation, other names like Kevin Durant and Zion Williamson have entered the conversation. There is one player that some did not expect to be in the MVP conversation and that man is Denver Nuggets big man Nikola Jokić. Joker has won the last two MVP awards, being the first center to win the award since Shaq in 2000. Having won the award back-to-back, Jokic has already joined impressive company including Kareem, Jordan, LeBron, Duncan, Giannis, Curry, and more. There’s a possibility that Jokić can do something that only three other players have done and that’s threepeat as an MVP.

 

In the 75+ year history of the NBA, there have been 13 players who have won the MVP award back-to-back (including Jokić). Of those 13 players, only three have won the award three years in a row. The first to do it was the late great Celtics legend Bill Russell who threepeated as MVP from 1961-1963. The next legend to do it would be Wilt the Stilt himself, Wilt Chamberlain, who threepeated from 1966-1968. The last to do it would be another Celtics legend in Larry Bird, who threepeated from 1984-1986. Others have come close to threepeating, but no one has been able to reach that feat in 35 years. 

 

Looking at Jokić’s stats, they look average and stand out at the same time. Joker is currently putting up 24.7 PPG, top 20 in the league. At least seven or eight other players mentioned in the MVP conversation are putting up higher numbers, with Joel Embiid leading all scorers with 33.0 PPG. While Jokić’s points may not look impressive, he is shooting his best percentage from the field at almost 62%. His other stats are quite impressive though. Putting up 11.0 RPG and 9.2 APG, Jokić is top sixth in rebounds and third in assists per game. No other center is putting up assist numbers like that. The closest center to Jokic in terms of assists is Joel Embiid with 4.6 APG. Looking at advanced stats, Jokic is one of the best in the game. Jokic currently has his highest true shooting percentage at 68.8%. He also has a team-high assist percentage of 29%. 

 

With the Denver Nuggets currently sitting at first in the Western Conference, it’s hard to argue against Jokić winning his third MVP award in a row. Finishing the season first may be his best bet for winning the award. In the last two seasons, the Nuggets have finished third and sixth in the West with Jokić winning the award. Jokić is the only MVP since the 2016-17 season to win the MVP award with his team not being the first seed. With voter fatigue setting in, finishing with the first seed would give Joker better odds of winning. In the latest NBA Kia MVP Ladder, Jokić was listed at third. The only two players currently listed above him are Jayson Tatum and Giannis Antetokounmpo. While both Tatum and Antetokounmpo have shined this season, you simply cannot doubt how amazing the back-to-back MVP has been this season. While the odds of Jokić threepeating may be low solely due to voter fatigue, he is doing everything in his power to show why he should be the first threepeating MVP in over 35 years. 

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