Sometimes it is just crazy to imagine that Denver Nuggets superstar Nikola Jokic has a genuine shot at winning the MVP this season after winning the prestigious award twice in two years. He is having his best season in the NBA and is always pushing the boundaries of his play. It will be tough for him to win it three times in a row because most voters may be reluctant to give it to someone else, but if someone can do it then it has to be Jokic.
Unlike Luka Doncic, Nikola Jokic has a great team with some sensational supporting cast players and hence the Nuggets are at the top of the Western Conference. So that will surely help the big man from Serbia when the voters pick their MVP.
Jokic has been leading from the front for the Nuggets and averaging 25 points along with 10.8 rebounds and 9.7 assists per game. He is doing all of this on 61.6% shooting.
Former NBA star Richard Jefferson lauded the Serbian and appreciated his ability to keep on moving the ball and his exceptional basketball IQ. He said, “I think the most impressive part of his game – I think he’s always a passer; he was always a rebounder and scorer – I would say his basketball IQ and his understanding of when to raise his level.”
Jefferson addressed the low scoring numbers in comparison to his previous MVP years and highlights dhow his assists have been high which indicates on how he is involving everyone on the court and selecting the best outlet to get a bucket. His movement coupled with his IQ and passing makes him a very deadly playmaker and therefore he is in MVP discussion due to his impact on court and his ability to run the play for the Nuggets.
“There are times – like his scoring is down this season from his prior MVP seasons, by design, but his assists numbers are up – so that tells me that he scores when he needs to and he knows how to get everyone else involved. Part of the success of their roster construction this year and adding … Bruce Brown, Jeff Green, KCP (Kentavious Caldwell-Pope),” Jefferson highlighted.
The former NBA Champion shares how the addition of Kentavious Caldwell Pope and Bruyce Brown Jr. are the additions that have helped the Nuggets. He also shared how Jokic makes everyone feel at home. Jefferson also compared Jason Kidd’s presence on court with the Serbian big man especially with their passing.
“Adding KCP, adding the roster construction that they did has been so impressive. Bruce Bown, those are the individuals, to me, that when you put them there, Jokic makes everyone feel at home: ‘I got you. Where do you want the ball?’ Like, I played with Jason Kidd, and Jason Kidd was like, ‘How do you want me to throw the ball? He makes everyone feel at home, because he has such an immense basketball IQ. That’s to me what’s so impressive,” Jefferson shared.
Jefferson feels Nikola Jokic is having a fantastic season in the NBA and he does not believe that anyone else is having a season that is clearly better than Jokic’s. So he feels if the likes of Ja Morant and Jayson Tatum want to win the MVP, they should give the analysts an outright reason and not only reasons to make arguments.
