Nikola Jokić made history as the Denver Nuggets punched a third-seed playoff ticket following their 128-118 win over the San Antonio Spurs on Sunday.
The Serbian big man has still been one of the best players in the league, but he hasn’t been dubbed as one of the MVP favorites for this year.
Nikola Jokić Stamps His Authority As One of the Modern-Day Greats
In the process, the center finished the regular season with 27.7 points, 12.9 rebounds, and 10.7 assists per contest. This saw him become the first player in league history to lead the NBA in rebounds and assists average in the same season.
The Nuggets were dealt a jolt when Jokić was diagnosed with a hyperextended left knee last December. This was followed by a right wrist injury management, which saw him sidelined for the recent matchup against the top-seeded OKC Thunder. Despite the setbacks, the big man has dropped video game-like numbers amid the NBA MVP buzz.
Against the Spurs, Jokić notched up 23 points, eight rebounds, and a block in just over 18 minutes of action. His marked attendance made him eligible for the NBA awards this season, as he finishes his regular season with 65 appearances.
The Nuggets have made the playoffs for seven consecutive seasons and won the championship once. They made the Conference Finals last season, but went down 4-3 to the OKC Thunder, who eventually won the NBA Finals against the Indiana Pacers. This time around, they will begin their playoff campaign against the sixth-seeded Minnesota Timberwolves.
Considering they finished as the top seed in the West, Gilgeous-Alexander and the Thunder will not take on both Jokić and Wembanyama until a potential Conference Finals matchup. The Nuggets remain high on confidence as they wrap up their regular season with a 12-game winning streak. The Nuggets host the Timberwolves on Saturday (April 18) at the Ball Arena. The action gets underway at 3:30 PM ET.
Will Nikola Jokić Win NBA MVP This Season?
After his scintillating statline and qualifying for the NBA awards, all eyes are on Jokić to see if he wins his fourth NBA MVP this season. At the time of writing, closing odds for MVP saw the Nuggets superstar listed third below Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Victor Wembanyama. The Thunder guard is favored to win the marquee award for the second season in a row.
That said, Jokić’s impressive season will surely see him in contention for the postseason MVP if he can lead Denver to a finals appearance. For now, the team looks primed to get past the Timberwolves. But stranger things have happened in the playoffs, and the Nuggets will look to avoid complacency against an erratic Minnesota outfit.
After the win against the Spurs, Nuggets head coach spoke about his superstar’s approach ahead of the MVP qualification chatter. “I think he embraced it because of how hard those guys were playing with him,” Adelman said, per The Denver Post.
“And I think there’s a respect value there when he sees guys playing for opportunities. And a guy like him that’s done everything in this game, I think he respects that.”
After averaging a triple-double for the second consecutive season and propping up historic performances all year long, ‘The Joker’ has surely made his case to win his fourth career MVP.
As mentioned, SGA and Wemby may be the frontrunners right now, but there is no doubt that he has already solidified his place as one of the greatest ever players to set foot on a basketball court.
