Former 3x All-NBA player critical of Nikola Jokic’s MVP win citing over-reliance on Jamal Murray’s clutch time heroics
Former three-time NBA All-Star Gilbert Arenas has criticized the MVP win of Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic. He suggested that it raises questions to have an MVP who depends on another primary scorer to secure victories.
Nikola Jokic, the reigning Finals MVP, clinched his third regular-season MVP title in four years after guiding the Nuggets to a 57-25 record in the fiercely competitive Western Conference. In the regular season, he averaged 26.4 points, 12.4 rebounds and 9.0 assists in 79 games.
On the Nightcap show, Gilbert Arenas criticized Jokic for not being the primary scorer of his team, pointing out that Jokic relied on Jamal Murray, who averaged fewer points, assists and rebounds per game than Jokic, with 21.2 points, 6.5 assists and 4.1 rebounds in the regular season.
“Are we going to ignore the fact that he is not the go-to guy when it counts? (Jamal Murray) is the guy who Jokic relies on to hit those buckets,” Arenas said.
“(Murray) becomes the number-one option when the game is on the line, so you're giving the MVP to a guy who, when it counts, has to give it to another guy.”
Jokic secured 79 first-place votes and a total of 926 points to clinch the MVP award, surpassing OKC Thunder’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who received 15 first-place votes and 640 points, and Dallas Mavericks’ Luka Doncic, who garnered four first-place votes and 566 points.
Giannis Antetokounmpo from the Milwaukee Bucks finished fourth, while New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson finished fifth in the voting.
In the first round of the playoffs against the LA Lakers, Murray won the Nuggets two games via last-second game-winners. He averaged 23.6 points, 7.2 assists and 4.6 rebounds against the Lakers, while Jokic averaged 28.2 points, 16.2 rebounds and 9.8 assists.
Nikola Jokic on Nuggets’ future after falling into 0-2 hole vs Timberwolves: ‘We will see’
Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets faced a tough setback, falling into a 2-0 deficit against the Minnesota Timberwolves after a decisive 106-80 defeat on their home court in Game 2 of the Western Conference semifinals.
Struggling to find their rhythm, the Nuggets have been challenged by the Timberwolves, who boasted the league's best defense in the regular season. Following the loss in Game 2, Nikola Jokic was asked about the Nuggets' approach for Game 3, to which he responded:
"I don't know. We will see."
“Maybe we are trying too much just by driving into a lot of people,” Jokic said. “I think we can help each other, just trust the pass a little bit more. But one part is they are physical, and they make you play that way.”
Game 3 will be on Saturday at Minnesota. The Timberwolves expect to have Rudy Gobert back in their lineup.