This Monday, in the middle of a sluggish followingnoon – the fault of a new night of Playoffs – Adrian Wojnarowski gave the news of the week: Nikola Jokic is elected MVP for the 2021-22 season. He creates the back-to-back, a year following his first Maurice Podoloff statuette. How do you say “Welcome to the very big ones” in Serbian?
In the history of the NBA, they are thirteen to have achieved the back-to-back MVP: Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Moses Malone, Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan, Tim Duncan, Steve Nash , LeBron James, Stephen Curry, Giannis Antetokounmpo and for regarding ten minutes, Nikola Jokic. The Serbian’s regular season averages have risen once more with 27.1 points at 58% shooting including 34% from parking, 13.8 rebounds, 7.9 assists and 1.5 interceptions. Statistically, therefore, his victory does not suffer from any dispute. But engaged in a frantic race with Joel Embiid and Giannis Antetokounmpo, the boss of Denver is the only one of the three finalists to be on vacation. His exit from the road once morest the Warriors in the first round of the Playoffs is a stain. We can already see the little clever ones arriving to shout at « Embiid robbed » for at least a week under all Twitter posts. But in reality, only three of the last 19 MVPs have won the title in the same year: Stephen Curry (2015), LeBron James (2012) and Tim Duncan (2003). Overall victory is not one of the many criteria for receiving the trophy. Once past the 82nd regular season game, opinions freeze and ignore everything that follows. It is the rule.
Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic has been voted the NBA’s Most Valuable Player for a second consecutive season, sources tell ESPN. A formal announcement is expected this week.
– Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) May 9, 2022
The Nuggets finished in 6th place in the Western Conference with a record of 48 wins and 34 losses. Without Michael Porter Jr. (nine games played) and Jamal Murray (no games played), it’s unexpected. Where would Mike Malone’s squad be without The Joker? Probably far, far away in the depths of the West. He is the player who has most influenced the results of his team this season. We love Monte Morris, Aaron Gordon, Jeff Green, Will Barton and Bones Hyland, but if we take the Serbian off the roster, a smell of tanking smothers Colorado. It seems voters enjoyed the story more “Nikola Jokic makes his guys forget their injuries” what “Joel Embiid holds the house despite the Ben Simmons controversy”. What did Giannis Antetokounmpo miss? Nothing that might have come from him. This reasoning may be toxic but with Khris Middleton being injured on all regular… well. At just 27 – and like the Greek Freak – Nikola Jokic is already a double MVP. He and his friend from the Parthenon embody this 94/95 generation which should squat the very top of the table over the next few seasons. More than ever, Europe is bewitching basketball across the Atlantic. And to think that Wemby is coming to take over.
Back-to-back validated, and a very comfortable seat among the greatest in this sport. Now all Nikola Jokic is missing is a ring around his ring finger. The loop will then be closed.
