Nikola Jokic is on the verge of winning the 2021 NBA MVP award after a magical season with the Denver Nuggets. The Serbian big man has done an exceptional job with his team, being the most consistent player throughout the season.
It doesn’t seem like he will have many troubles to get the award, becoming the lowest-drafted player to win the honor with the 41st overall pick. This can be a historical season for Jokic, and he can keep making history, emulating what Kobe Bryant did during his 2008 MVP campaign.
Redditor “VomitingVegan” pointed out that if Jokic decides to play the last game of the season, he will do what Kobe did during his MVP season.
If Jokic plays in his final game on Sunday vs. Portland, he could possibly be the first MVP since Kobe Bryant in 2008 to play in all possible regular-season games during their MVP season.
During that season, Kobe played the entire 82 games of the calendar despite suffering an injury. The best part is that Kobe never got surgery on that injury and decided to change his shooting form. Of course, that is just crazy but it’s Kobe Bryant we’re talking about.
Kobe still played every game even though he tore a ligament in his shooting hand in February of that year. If he would have had surgery, he would not have been back for the playoffs. He even declined to have surgery after the finals so that he could play in the Olympics that summer. He eventually never got surgery in his hand and just decided to adjust his shooting for the rest of his career.
Jokic and the Nuggets face the Portland Trail Blazers tonight. Both teams try to win to finish the regular season the best way and secure their position in the Western Conference standings.
The Joker will try to take his team to the promised land, close everything in a good way and add one more favorable factor to his MVP case.
