3 reasons why Nikola Jokic can win the NBA MVP title back to back for Denver
Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets have had a strong start to the 2021-22 season, winning nine of their 14 games. Jokic’s game is a feast to watch for any NBA fan. The creativity he brings for someone with a 6-foot-11 frame is rare.
With the likes of Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant and Luka Doncic off to impressive starts, Nikola Jokic may be overlooked, even if he was named the NBA's MVP last season. But that’s until you see his numbers. He is one of the most effective offensive players in the league, and defensively he is having the best season of his seven-year career.
A few reasons why Nikola Jokic can win back-to-back NBA MVP titles
No. 1: Nikola Jokic is nearly matching his MVP-season numbers
Take a look at his averages. Nikola Jokic has averaged 26.1 points, 13.8 rebounds and 6.3 assists in 13 games in the 2021-22 season. In the previous season he averaged 26.4 points, 10.8 rebounds and 8.3 assists.
Players since 1985 to record 300+ points, 150+ rebounds and 75+ assists through their first 12 games of a season:
• 2021-22 Nikola Jokic
• 2019-20 Giannis Antetokounmpo
Giannis would win the 2019-20 MVP award with 85 percent of the first place votes. https://t.co/H1vqSio5lA
Nikola Jokic is seventh in the league rankings, shooting at 26.1 ppg, second in rebounds behind Rudy Gobert’s 15.4 rpg and 16th in playmaking at 6.3 apg. His assist numbers are down, but considering the skilled passer he is and the fact he is the Denver Nuggets centerpiece, his assists likely will climb.
Nikola Jokic is shooting a career-high 59.3% from the field, which is the eighth highest in the league. For a center, his 3-point shooting percentage is impressively high at 38.6% -- he has started taking and making more of them since his MVP season. His effective FG% is seventh best in the league at 64.2.
No. 2: Michael Porter Jr. is out and Jamal Murray’s status remains unclear
Jamal Murray, the Denver Nuggets’ star point guard, is yet to return after tearing his left ACL late last season. To add to their injury list, Michael Porter Jr. could be out for the foreseeable future with his back issue. This puts more responsibility in the hands of Nikola Jokic.
Nikola Jokic has had only one game in which he has scored fewer than 20 points so far. That sheds light on how much Denver's offense is centered around him. Jokic’s player efficiency rating of 35.5 is the highest in the current season, with Milwaukee Bucks star and two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo next best at 30.8.
Nikola Jokic currently has the highest single-season PER of all time. And it’s not close.
The gap between him (35.1) and the second player (Wilt Chamberlain at 32.1) is bigger than the gap between Wilt and the 45th player. https://t.co/dswUcE5rf1
"The Joker" has never shied away from heightened expectations and plays with class, excelling under pressure.
No. 1: Nikola Jokic has gotten better on both ends of the floor
The Joker cannot earn back-to-back MVPs without improving his performance, after all he is the one who set himself such a benchmark. Offensively, some of the plays Nikola Jokic has been making are highlight plays you can watch on repeat. He seems to have eyes in the back of his head.
Nikola Jokic has an offensive rating of 124 so far. Plus, the Denver Nuggets boast a plus of 14.2 points per 100 possessions when Jokic is on the floor, as opposed to minus-11.6 without him.
There have been questions on Nikola Jokic’s defensive ability. However, he is slowly starting to contribute effectively. His long reach and sensible back-tracking have helped the Denver Nuggets generate turnovers.
So far, Nikola Jokic has maintained a career-best defensive rating of 96.2, the first time he has brought that measure below 100. His defensive rating is second best in the league, behind only the 94.7 of Rudy Gobert, the league's three-time Defensive Player of the Year.
If Nikola Jokic continues playing like this, he can make a strong case for back-to-back NBA MVP awards.