"I think he is one of the more disrespected reigning MVPs" - Michael Malone displeased with Nikola Jokic not getting enough attention for his stellar play this season
Nikola Jokic of the Denver Nuggets is the reigning MVP of the league, having beaten out Joel Embiid and Steph Curry to the award last season. But Nuggets head coach Michael Malone believes his superstar center is one of the most disrespected reigning MVPs in history.
In the pregame interview before the Nuggets took on the LA Clippers, Malone lashed out at the lack of attention towards Jokic this season.
The head coach added that the MVP has been very consistent this time, especially with players such as Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr. out due to injuries.
"I think he is one of the more disrespected reigning MVPs that I can think of in terms of the attention. But if you open up the dictionary, look up the word consistency, there's going to be a picture of Nikola there," Malone said.
Michael Malone calls Nikola Jokic one of the most “disrespected reigning MVPs” in history.
"That's going back to the bubble, that's going back to a 72-game season last year, and this year we knew Jamal was going to be out for an extended period. When you add a Michael Porter, when you add a P.J. Dozier to that list, it even becomes more incredible what he's doing," Malone added.
Nikola Jokic has been doing it all for the Nuggets this season. Jokic is averaging 25.7 points, 14.1 rebounds, 7.0 assists and 1.4 steals per game. He's also shooting the ball extremely well at 56.3% from the field and 35.4% from beyond the arc. "The Joker" is doing it all without the team's second and third best players.
In addition to his MVP-like numbers, Jokic is also leading the league in PER with 32.2 It's the highest PER in NBA history and it would be a shame if he does not win back-to-back MVPs. The narrative this season is that Kevin Durant or Steph Curry will win the award.
RPR MVP Predictor, determined by Rolling Player Ratings and team success:
1. Nikola Jokic: 15.22
2. Stephen Curry: 14.42
3. Giannis Antetokounmpo: 14.31
4. Kevin Durant: 14.03
5. Trae Young: 13.62
6. LeBron James: 13.35
7. Donovan Mitchell: 13.07
8. DeMar DeRozan: 12.83 https://t.co/h8E7VwW0Q9
The problem with Nikola Jokic is the overall record of the Nuggets. With the regular season almost halfway through, the Nuggets have a record of 20-19, which is only good for sixth place in the NBA. The last time a player for a lower-seeded team was voted MVP was in 2017 with Russell Westbrook winning the award.
Nikola Jokic, Nuggets blow 25-point lead in loss to Clippers
Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets were on their way to another win against the LA Clippers on Wednesday but they squandered a 25-point lead. The Nuggets were in control until the start of the third quarter, but were eventually defeated by the Clippers, 87-85.
Jokic had a near triple-double with 21 points, 13 rebounds and eight assists, while Aaron Gordon finished with a game-high 30 points. However, the Nuggets were outscored by the Clippers 32-19 in the final quarter. Jokic had a chance to win it, but missed a three-point attempt in the dying seconds of the game.
The Clippers were led by Amir Coffey, who scored 18 points with five rebounds and seven assists. Reggie Jackson and Terance Mann added 13 points each, while Eric Bledsoe had 12 points off the bench. It was a low-scoring game, with the Clippers winning their second straight.
As for the Nuggets, they will be back home for their next six games. Denver will host the Portland Trail Blazers, LA Lakers, Utah Jazz, LA Clippers, Memphis Grizzlies and Detroit Pistons during that stretch.
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