Historic Night time for Nikola Jokic: A New MVP Debate?

The Denver Nugget’s Nikola Jokic continues to dominate headlines together with his historic efficiency in Friday’s 149-141 extra time win towards the Suns, with the NBA’s first ever 30-point, 20-rebound and 20-assist evening. It’s nearly unimaginable to seek out phrases to proceed to explain Jokic’s elite play and effectivity this season, and Friday evening’s efficiency simply added to his legacy.

Jokic tallied 31 factors, 22 rebounds, and a career-high 22 assists. With that, Jokic is as much as 29 triple-doubles on the season and has recorded 149 all through his profession.

After this efficiency, Jokic is formally averaging a triple-double this season. Solely two different gamers in NBA historical past have ended the season with a triple-double common: Russell Westbrook and Oscar Robertson. 

Jokic continues to dominate the headlines together with his unbelievable play nightly, which has turned heads within the present MVP debate. Extra impressively, Jokic tried solely three free throws in final evening’s showdown, which included extra time.

There have been a number of discussions amongst media scribes and followers involving this yr’s NBA MVP race. Final evening’s efficiency made the dialog rather more attention-grabbing.

As of final week, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was a transparent favourite to assert his first MVP title. The Thunder have the most effective data within the NBA (52-11) and he has been the primary motive behind this elite Thunder squad. Averaging 32.8 factors, 5.1 rebounds, and 6.2 assists per recreation and sustaining first place within the Western Convention makes a robust case for a MVP season.

However after analyzing Jokic’s statistics and his staff’s present file and placement within the Western Convention standings (third place and a 41-22 file), it is exhausting to think about how Jokic won’t win the MVP award this season.

Jokic’s Gaudy Numbers

1st in effectivity (32.5 score)
third in factors per recreation (28.9)
third in rebounds per recreation (12.9)
2nd in assists per recreation (10.6)
Tied for second in steals per recreation (1.8)
Tied for fifth in 3 level % (44%)

He’s placing collectively some of the spectacular seasons in NBA historical past, and it will likely be exhausting to disregard his manufacturing on the subject of eligible voters submitting an MVP vote this yr.

What makes the MVP race extra attention-grabbing is the present NBA schedule. The Thunder and the Nuggets have two conferences back-to-back on March 9 and10, and it is exhausting to check how these two video games won’t drastically sway the opinions of MVP voting.

This two-game sequence will certainly be the deciding issue on who will turn out to be the 2024-2025 MVP winner, as all the media consideration and voters will carefully take note of these video games.

NBA followers ought to notice how particular Jokic is on a nightly, foundation as we’re witnessing the play of the most effective facilities to ever play the sport. Get pleasure from it whereas it lasts.

If he continues on his torrid tempo, now we have simply witnessed one of many biggest, if not the best, particular person season in NBA historical past.