Photo Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

Michael Malone Says Not Voting Nikola Jokic MVP Because It’d Be Three Straight Is ‘Lazy’

Nikola Jokic has taken the last two MVP awards for his dominant efforts with the Denver Nuggets.

Last season, the Serbian center was on a roll, putting up monstrous numbers of 27.1 points, 13.8 rebounds and 7.9 assists per game on 58.3% shooting from the field. He lead the Nuggets to the sixth seed in the Western Conference while missing two of their scoring weapons in Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr.

This season, and a lot of people might not want to hear or believe it, the Joker should be the MVP front runner once again. Granted, voter’s fatigue will probably prevent it, but the facts and numbers speak for itself.

Jokic is averaging 25.7 points 10.9 rebounds, 9.5 assists and 1.5 steals in 33 Minuten while shooting 62.0% from the field and 81.3% from the line for the team with the best record in the Western Conference Standings. Additionally his advanced stats once again are through the roof and more than comparable (if not better) to his previous two MVP campaigns.

While no NBA player has won back-to-back-to-back MVP awards since Larry Bird – not Michael Jordan, not LeBron James – the Serbian center could and maybe should be able to put his name next to Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain and Larry Bird, if he continues to lead the Nuggets on such level.

The only problem in this quest are Luka Doncic and his insane performances and voters’ fatigue.

In terms of voters’ fatigue, Jokic’s head coach Michael Malone now voiced some major criticism:

“If people’s reason for not giving Nikola a third MVP is because he’s already won two in a row, that’s lazy.”

Michael Malone: If people’s reason for not giving Nikola a third MVP is because he’s already won two in a row, “that’s lazy.”

— Mike Singer (@msinger) January 1, 2023