Nikola Jokic is almost surely on his way to winning his second-straight MVP trophy. Statistically, the guy had a masterpiece of a season, doing it all for a Nuggets team that has been severely shorthanded.
But not everybody is on the same page when it comes to the 2022 MVP race.
In a recent article on Bleacher Report, NBA journalist Sherrod Blakely shared his take on the subject and explained why Jokic fell to third place on his MVP voting ballot.
Jokic is a statistical dream come true: a big man who can bang in the paint, knock down threes and still manage to get his teammates involved in the role of playmaker.
But I’m not convinced Jokic makes his teammates that much better, which should be a given when you are the NBA’s best player. I know the Nuggets have had a slew of injuries. That can’t be ignored. But his available teammates have not elevated their play significantly this season with Jokic. He still seems to struggle at times determining when he needs to take over and when he needs to try to get others involved.
That’s why I had him third in my B/R MVP vote.
Jokic is a hybrid big man who does a little bit of everything on the court offensively. He can score inside and out, set up his teammates for buckets, and even handle the ball at various points of the game.
But Jokic can struggle to find a balance at times, and his talents do not translate to the defensive side of the ball.
Even more damning to his MVP case is that the Nuggets finished 6th in the West. Even with all the injuries, one would think that a back-to-back MVP winner would be able to secure a better record for his team.
Whatever the case, Jokic is focused on other things right now. Down 3-0 to the Warriors in round 1, he’s just trying to keep his team alive to fight for another day.
If he’s able to lead Denver to a miracle comeback in this series, that would certainly prove once and for all just how valuable he really is.
