The amazing and unique story of Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic continues.
The 6-foot-11 Serbian, who went on to become one of the best basketball players in the world after being selected No. 41 in the second round of the 2014 NBA Draft, defeated Oklahoma City's Shai Gilgeous to win the regular season MVP for the third time in four years. obtained. -Alexander and Dallas' Luka Doncic received the award.
Jokic joins an elite group of NBA players who have won three or more MVP awards: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (six), Bill Russell (five), Michael Jordan (five) and Wilt Chamberlain (four). LeBron James (4 times), Moses Malone (3 times), Larry Bird (3 times), Magic Johnson (3 times).
This is the sixth consecutive season that a player born outside the United States has won the MVP award.
Compelling arguments could be made as to why each of the finalists, which also includes Gilgeous-Alexander and Doncic, should have won the award.
Jokic received approval from the voting committee, receiving 79 first-place votes and 926 points. Gilgeous-Alexander was second with 15 first-place votes (640 points), and Doncic was third with four first-place votes (566 points). The only other player to receive first-place votes was Milwaukee's Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Jokic averaged 26.4 points, 12.4 rebounds, 9.0 assists, 1.4 steals and almost 1 block per game, while shooting 58.3% from the field, 35.9% from 3-point range, and 81.7% from free throws for a triple-double. He ranked second with a success rate of 25. The Nuggets finished tied for second in the league with a record of 57 wins and 25 losses, earning them the second seed in the Western Conference. He became one of only four players to have 20 or more triple-doubles in multiple seasons.
At one point early in the season, Jokic became the first player in NBA history to record at least 14 rebounds and at least 14 assists in three consecutive games, and only the second player to record at least 30 rebounds since steals became an official statistic 50 years ago. became a player. He had a point, 15 rebounds, 15 assists, and 4 steals in one game. He recorded a career-high 708 assists, passing Wilt Chamberlain for the most assists by a center in a single season, and led the league in PER (Player Efficiency Rating), which measures a player's contribution.
This third MVP solidified Jokic's status as one of the most talented and skilled big men in NBA history. He scores inside and outside and has the ability to pass and rebound. He combines exceptional footwork, a soft touch, and incredible vision with a difficult-to-defend attack that creates scoring opportunities for himself and his teammates.
Doncic was the league's leading scorer with a career-high 33.9 points per game, and was a triple-double threat with 9.8 assists, 9.2 rebounds and a career-high 3-point shooting percentage of 38.2%. Gilgeous-Alexander led the young Thunder to the No. 1 seed in the West, averaging 30.1 points, 6.2 assists, 5.5 rebounds, and 2.0 steals per game, shooting 53.5 percent from the field and 35.3 percent from 3-point range.
