FS1 analyst Nick Wright opined that Nikola Jokic’s stellar form in the ongoing NBA Finals makes him Finals MVP, even if the Denver Nuggets were to lose the Finals against the Miami Heat.
“Right now, the Joker is 34/10/9 and no one in Miami is averaging more than 22 and that’s Bam [Adebayo] and that’s bound to go down,” he said on First Things First.
“If the Heat are up 3-2 going into a Game 6 at home, and Nikola Jokic’s stats are what they are, the story I can’t wait for is, ‘How can anybody but Joker be Finals MVP?'”
"If the Heat are up 3-2 going into a Game 6 at home, and Nikola Jokić's stats are what they are, the story I can't wait for is, 'How can anybody but Joker be Finals MVP?'" — @getnickwright 👀 pic.twitter.com/IeLCKtXxzK
— First Things First (@FTFonFS1) June 5, 2023
At the time of writing, Jokic is averaging 30.4 points, 12.9 rebounds, and 10.1 assists in the playoffs. The only players from both camps who are behind him are Jimmy Butler with 27.3 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 5.9 assists along with Jamal Murray notching up 27.0 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 6.6 assists.
The two-time MVP even had a 41-point performance in the Nuggets’ Game 2 loss against the Heat, but it’s his scintillating production that has Wright believing that the narrative would be Jokic winning Finals MVP.
Only One Player Won Finals MVP Despite Losing In The NBA Finals
The concept of NBA Finals MVP was introduced first in 1969, and the focus then was on individual performances, and not the overall outcome of the team winning or losing the Finals.
One player who won the Finals MVP, despite his team losing was Jerry West. The Lakers legend had a stellar rum that the league awarded him the title despite the Lakers’ loss to the Boston Celtics.
Despite the 1969 #NBAFinals loss, the @Lakers' Jerry West averaged 37.9 PPG, 4.7 RPG & 7.4 APG to earn NBA Finals MVP honors. #NBAVault pic.twitter.com/XfMyBJeXFa
— NBA History (@NBAHistory) May 5, 2019
Led by Jerry West, Wilt Chamberlain, and Elgin Baylor, LA was up against a formidable Celtics outfit and despite carving out a 2-0 lead, they went down in the next four games. West was phenomenal in Game 1, pouring 53 points, and following it up with a triple-double in Game 7 with 42 points, 13 rebounds, and 12 assists.
The LA Lakers, led by Jerry West, Wilt Chamberlain, and Elgin Baylor, went up against the Bill Russell-led Boston Celtics. The Celtics were looking to repeat themselves as champions and had already won 10 NBA championships before the 1969 NBA Finals in a 12-year period. The seven-game series saw him prop up four 40+ games and one game with 39 points.
Now, it remains to be seen if Jokic will take West’s route in the ongoing NBA Finals. While the Nuggets are still a threat, his individual exploits cannot be ignored.
We sincerely appreciate and respect you as a reader of our site. It would help us a lot if you follow us on Google News because of the latest update.
Thanks for following us. We really appreciate your support.
