Denver Nuggets Center Nikola Jokic narrowly missed out on his fourth career NBA MVP yesterday. The award went to Oklahoma City Thunder Point Guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. SGA received 71 first-place votes while Jokic received 29. Gilgeous-Alexander finished with 913 points while the Nuggets center finished with 787.
Another top 2 MVP finish put Jokic in rarefied air. He is only the third player in league history to have five consecutive seasons of top-two MVP finishes. He joined Larry Bird (1981 to 1986) and Bill Russell (1958 to 1963). During these five years, the center was named NBA MVP in 2021, 2022, and 2024. He finished second to SGA this season and second to Philadelphia 76ers Center Joel Embiid in 2023. Will the Nuggets center keep playing at an MVP level?
Nikola Jokic Season Summary
Even though Jokic was not named NBA MVP, he had a regular season for the ages. He was the third player ever to average a triple-double. He was also the first non-point guard to accomplish this feat. The three-time MVP also made history as the first player in NBA history to rank in the top 3 in points, assists, rebounds, and steals during the regular season.
Final Thoughts
Jokic did not mince words following the team’s Game 7 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder regarding the team’s roster construction. Even with their star player remaining to play at an MVP level, the Denver Nuggets enter an offseason full of question marks. The Nuggets center is the best player in the league, but needs his roster to improve to add another championship to his trophy case.
