The 2022-23 NBA Most Valuable Player will be officially announced tonight. Of all the awards, this is definitely the most anticipated of them all. There are three candidates competing for this award. These are Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks, Joel Embiid of the Philadelphia 76ers, and Nikola Jokic of the Denver Nuggets, a two-time MVP.
“It is what it is.” Nikola Jokic when asked about the best player award
Despite winning the award twice already, the Nuggets star claims he has no interest in winning the MVP award and is focused on getting his team to the promised NBA land.
Nikola Jokic is not interested in an MVP
His impact on Denver this postseason
Nikola Jokic, as great as he is in the regular season, is another playoff rookie. For his post-season career, Joker averaged 26.6 points, 11.8 rebounds, and 6.6 assists per game. For context, his career regular season averages are 20.2 points, 6.6 assists, and 10.5 rebounds per game. He made another appearance in this postseason as he posted 26.2 points, 12.4 rebounds and nine assists in the first round against the Minnesota Timberwolves. Jokic also helped lead Denver to a 2-0 series victory against the Phoenix Suns and came out with 39 points and 16 rebounds. The Nuggets have a legitimate shot at the Finals this year and Joker will continue to have MVP-like influence in the future.
The historical year of Nikola Jokic
Although Jokic was focused more on team success rather than individual accolades, he still had a historic regular season campaign. We were already way above his normal averages, but he was also still very effective. Jokic averaged a player efficiency rating of 31.5 leading the NBA in this category and had a real shooting percentage of 70.1 percent, another league best. On top of that, the Joker also recorded 29 triple-doubles to go along with an offensive rating of 134.
Not to mention, the reigning MVP also led Denver to a one-seed finish in franchise history. A finally healthy squad was a big factor in this, but Nikola Jokic’s excellent production also deserves credit. While Joel Embiid made a late push to MVP at the end of the regular season, there’s still a good chance Joker will win his third straight MVP award that puts him in elite company with the likes of Larry Bird, Wilt Chamberlain, and Bill Russell.