Nikola Jokic addressed his hard-fought MVP battle with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and showed confidence in his chances of winning.
Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets got a monumental 140-127 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder. Jokic was able to get the better of his MVP rival Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
Last week, after the Thunder defeated the Nuggets, NBA fans were quick to name Shai the frontrunner for the MVP award.
But Jokic showed last night that the race isn’t over yet, helping the Nuggets get a win over the best team in the West.
The advanced statistics show that Jokic fits the monicker of MVP better than anyone else. And it appears the Serbian superstar backs himself to win the award again.
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Speaking after the game, Nikola Jokic spoke about the ongoing MVP race between he and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
He noted that he has been in the race for MVP for the last five years. And this year, he thinks he is playing the best basketball of his career.
While Jokic thinks he can win it, he does believe Shai is an equally deserving candidate, and he wouldn’t begrudge him if he did win.
“This is my third or fourth year in a row so… I’m really… I can’t control it… I will say I think I’m playing the best basketball of my life, so if that’s enough, it’s enough. If not, the guy deserves it. He’s really amazing.”
It’s clear that while Jokic has a lot of respect for Shai and what he’s doing, he wants to win a historic fourth MVP award.
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Jokic cementing himself in the history books
Winning his fourth MVP would do a lot for Jokic’s legacy. For starters, he would tie himself with LeBron James and Wilt Chamberlain for the third-most MVP wins by a player in NBA history.
On top of that, he would become the first player since Michael Jordan in 1998 to win 4+ MVPs while playing with one team. This is a feat only Jordan and Bill Russell have managed to accomplish.
This season, Jokic is averaging a triple-double with 28.9 points, 13.0 rebounds, and 10.5 assists. These numbers are sensational, but they might not be enough.
Despite Jokic’s win last night, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is still considered the favorite to win the MVP this season.
Shai’s contribution to winning, league-high scoring numbers, and voter fatigue against Jokic are considered major reasons for the Canadian superstar to win the award.
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