This season, Nikola Jokic has the possibility to cement himself amongst elite firm. With two NBA MVP awards to his identify, a 3rd would see him sit alongside greats like Wilt Chamberlain within the NBA historical past books. Regardless of that, this 12 months’s MVP race has been a carefully contested one.
Whereas the common season has come to an in depth, and the playoffs don’t have any bearing on who wins the MVP award, that hasn’t stopped the controversy concerning who ought to win. Though Jokic and the opposite MVP finalists, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Joel Embiid, all have their sights set on an NBA title, a 3rd MVP can be historic for Jokic.
Nikola Jokic’s first MVP season (2020-21)
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With that in thoughts, let’s check out the 2 earlier MVP awards the Denver Nuggets star has gained forward of Recreation 2 in opposition to the Minnesota Timberwolves.
In the course of the 2020-21 season, Jokic picked up his first MVP award after taking an enormous leap in efficiency. The Nuggets completed the season in third place within the Western Convention, with Jokic averaging a whopping 26.4 factors per sport.
On the time, the quantity marked a career-high for Jokic, who averaged 19.9 factors per sport the earlier 12 months. Regardless of that, the then-26-year-old was quoted as saying that he would moderately win a championship than an MVP award. On the time, the final true middle to win the award was none aside from Shaquille O’Neal.
Under, you possibly can see some highlights from his first MVP season.
Nikola Jokic’s second MVP season (2021-22)
Though Nikola Jokic was a heavy favourite in the course of the 2020-21 season to win the MVP award, issues weren’t so clear-cut the second time. In the course of the 2021-22 season, Jokic was handed his second MVP award, beating runner-up Joel Embiid.
The season noticed the Denver Nuggets end sixth within the Western Convention, largely because of the absence of Jamal Murray. Regardless of that, Jokic as soon as once more managed to enhance his play on each ends of the ground. He averaged 27.1 factors per sport, a brand new career-high to associate with a 58.3% area purpose share.
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On the similar time, he averaged a career-high 13.8 rebounds, the second-highest common within the league that season. On the defensive finish of the ground, he averaged a career-high 1.5 steals per sport to associate with a career-high .9 blocks per sport.
Though his win sparked loads of debates concerning whether or not he or Joel Embiid deserved the award, Jokic appeared moderately detached. He was quoted saying on the time by The Denver Publish:
“I don’t know. It doesn’t imply something particular. I’m simply making an attempt to compete, to win video games.”
With time winding down earlier than the NBA declares this season’s MVP, solely time will inform whether or not or not Jokic makes historical past because the fourth three-time MVP.
Under you possibly can see some highlights from his 2021-22 MVP marketing campaign.
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