Amid another spectacular season, Nuggets star Nikola Jokic is on the verge of becoming a 3x NBA MVP and it’s fair to say he’s ruffled some feathers along the way.
Averaging a triple-double this season, stat-padding accusations have become the new norm for Jokic critics and it’s a narrative that 4x championship Draymond Green wants to see put down once and for all.
Speaking on his podcast, the Warriors star went off on the stat-padding narrative perpetuated by Kendrick Perkins and the “new media”:
“I think it’s ridiculous. You can’t win that many games in a row, get a triple-double, and only be padding your stats,” said Draymond. “At some point, your stat padding in 30 games will catch up to you. Trust me I see the Joker’s stat lines often, and there are often times where he’ll have 10 or 11 assists. So if you are stat-padding, chasing that 10th or 11th assist is going to cost you the game. It hasn’t. The stat-padding narrative is lazy. The stat-padding narrative is ‘I don’t have anything else to say, and I need to say something.'”
"The stat-padding narrative is lazy"
—@Money23Green doesn't agree with the Jokic criticism pic.twitter.com/Jl12KSaqRR
— The Volume (@TheVolumeSports) March 9, 2023
This quote comes days after Kendrick Perkins lit the internet on fire by accusing Jokic of padding his stats to get his season average up to a triple-double. According to Perk, the Nuggets star started shooting less in favor of passing to his teammates for easy assists.
It was a wildly hot take that sparked great debate in the NBA community. But, whether Perkins likes it or not, the MVP is still Jokic’s to lose this season.
Will Nikola Jokic Secure His Third MVP This Season?
Averaging 24.3 points, 11.8 rebounds, and 10 assists per game on 63% shooting, there is no question that the Joker is having one of the best seasons of his career. As an offensive genius and elite playmaker, his play has elevated the Nuggets to the top of the Western Conference standings.
As far as the MVP conversation goes, Jokic is the front-runner, with Giannis Antetokounmpo and Joel Embiid not far behind.
Still, for Jokic, his ambitions go beyond regular-season accolades. With a limited track record of playoff success, the pressure is on Nikola to finish the job this spring and finally deliver a title to the city of Denver.
Until then, doubters like Kendrick Perkins will continue to doubt his status as a winner and one of the best big men in league history.
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