On Thursday night, Nikola Jokic’s proved himself of winning his third MVP award this season.
In a 115-109 victory over the Celtics, the “Joker” led his Nuggets to victory with 32 points, 12 rebounds, 11 assists, and a flawless 10-of-10 shooting performance from the charity stripe.Despite the closeness of the game indicated by the win margin, many would agree that Jokic, with a plus/minus of +9, dominated the proceedings for the 39 minutes he played.
Jokic, who played old-school basketball by relying on post-ups rather than dribble hand-off movements from the top of the key — something he depends upon against specific matchups — just had no answer for the Celtics defense.
Whenever Jokic found himself doubled up in the post, he found a cutting Aaron Gordon, who, after receiving the go-ahead from his captain, would launch himself to the basket for a layup or slam. It was breathtaking to observe.
Just consider that Denver attempted only 21 threes in the game, a strikingly low number in the modern NBA where no team averages less than 30 threes per night.
The fact that they can dominate games at a slower pace is an ominous sign for their opponents, most of whom are increasingly reliant on running up and down and jacking up threes.
If not for Jokic, the Nuggets wouldn’t be able to play such a style, making him more than just a star player — he’s the system, the one who gives coaches sleepless nights.
So, why exactly did Jokic seal the MVP? It’s simple — he dominated the team with the best record in the league for a second consecutive occasion, following his 34 points, 12 rebounds and nine assists against the Celtics on Jan. 19.
Furthermore, Jokic’s record against other elite teams makes his case even stronger. Against the Clippers and the Bucks — the teams with the third- and fourth-shortest odds to win the NBA title — he’s averaging 27 points, 15.5 rebounds and 9.5 assists, and 27 points, 14 rebounds and 10 assists, respectively.
With a little over a month left in the regular season, the oddsmakers in Las Vegas have all but crowned Jokic the MVP, giving him the shortest odds (-150) to capture the award.
His only real threat at this point is Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (+240), whose Oklahoma City Thunder continue to maintain a top-three seed in the crowded West.
If SGA could drive the Thunder to the No. 1 seed over the next month, the race could get interesting.
However, voters have probably already made up their minds after witnessing Jokic stomp all over Boston’s defense twice in a row. Jokic is unquestionably real.
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