According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, Nikola Jokic of the Denver Nuggets has been voted the NBA MVP for the second consecutive season. Many are disappointed with the NBA’s recent decision to award Jokic the MVP. The majority believes that Joel Embiid, the star center for the Philadelphia 76ers, deserved the award due to his exceptional performance this season. However, people are not considering the different circumstances Jokic and Embiid faced. Both players have been phenomenal throughout the season, but one player’s performance stood out more.
Jokic faced challenges maintaining winning streaks as his team had key players missing for long periods. Despite this, he led the Nuggets to the 6th seed in the Western Conference. On the other hand, Embiid’s team didn’t perform well in the beginning of the season. Embiid played a crucial role in maintaining some level of respect for his team. However, midway through the year, he expressed interest in acquiring James Harden, a future Hall of Famer, from the Brooklyn Nets.
Nikola Jokic’s Case for MVP
Jokic had an outstanding season, averaging career-highs of 27 points, 14 rebounds, and 8 assists, according to ESPN. As a center, he ranked 8th in the league for assists. He made history by being the first player ever to achieve 2,000 points, 1,000 rebounds, and 500 assists in a single season. These back-to-back MVP awards solidify his status as an all-time great.
Despite his teammates Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr. facing injuries, Jokic led the team to secure the 6th seed andmake it to the playoffs for the second consecutive year.
According to Woj, it’s remarkable what Jokic has accomplished. He believes there is no competition for the MVP award this year, given Jokic’s exceptional performance, the challenges the team faced, and his improvement from the previous season.
