This season has seen Victor Wembanyama continue his meteoric rise with the San Antonio Spurs. Meanwhile, Nikola Jokić has ensured the Denver Nuggets are viewed as formidable NBA championship contenders.
With the postseason set to begin soon, one NBA analyst believes Jokić has the upper hand over his fellow MVP contender.
Nikola Jokić Favored Over Victor Wembanyama Due to Playoff Pedigree
The physical demands of matching up against Jokić became fully apparent on Saturday when Denver outlasted San Antonio 136-134 in an overtime thriller at Ball Arena. In 40 minutes on the court, Wembanyama posted 34 points, 18 rebounds, 7 assists, and 5 blocks.
For the Nuggets, Jokić came through with a game-high 40 points, 8 rebounds, and 13 assists to extend his team’s winning streak to eight games.
The marquee matchup prompted NBA analyst Danny Parkins to dissect the differences between regular-season marvels and postseason experience.
During a Monday segment on “First Things First,” Parkins highlighted Wembanyama’s fourth-quarter wall as a warning sign for those eager to hand him the torch.
“Have we ever done it in the history of basketball since you’ve been watching it before the guy even plays a single playoff game?” Parkins asked.
“And Joker has 21 career playoff triple-doubles. It’s just hard for me to take the guy who’s played zero playoff games and say he is ready to be definitively a better playoff performer than the champion, the Finals MVP, the Western Conference Finals MVP, who’s third all-time in playoff triple-doubles.”
“This is not a large sample size, obviously. Wemby had one made basket in the last 14 minutes of that game when he played 40 minutes,” Parkins noted. “He had free throws, and he was obviously still exerting a ton of energy on defense.”
Down the stretch against the Nuggets, the exhaustion was evident.
Wembanyama’s shooting efficiency dropped when the game hung in the balance, as he tried to anchor a defense while simultaneously matching Jokić score for score.
The urge to pick Wembanyama makes perfect sense, though. His statistical output and the ability to block shots at a terrifying rate? Incredible.
But when it comes to the playoffs, Jokić holds the clear edge, averaging 27.4 points, 12.3 rebounds, and 7.6 assists across 94 career outings.
Besides the lack of postseason experience, Wembanyama’s defensive responsibilities are immense, and he must expend a great deal of energy to keep the offense running.
The physical consequences of carrying that two-way burden surfaced in Monday’s 115-102 home win over the Philadelphia 76ers. Wembanyama recorded just 16 minutes before suffering a left rib contusion that forced him to exit the contest early, leaving the Spurs’ championship hopes in jeopardy.
While the Frenchman’s return timeline is yet to be confirmed, the difference between surviving the regular season and navigating a physically brutal postseason is one key reason the crown stays with Jokić until Wembanyama steps up to stake his claim.
