Denver Nuggets star heart Nikola Jokic gained the NBA Most Valuable Player award on Wednesday, marking his third win in 4 seasons, a feat achieved by solely eight different gamers in NBA historical past.
Jokic dominated the voting, receiving 79 first-place votes and a complete of 926 factors from a panel of sportswriters and broadcasters. Oklahoma City guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander got here in second with 15 first-place votes and 640 factors, adopted by Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic with 4 first-place votes and 566 factors.
The Serbian heart’s outstanding season included averages of 26.4 factors, 12.4 rebounds and 9.0 assists per recreation over 79 video games. He recorded 25 triple-doubles, rating second within the league behind Domantas Sabonis of the Sacramento Kings, who had 26.
“It’s got to start with your teammates, you know,” Jokic stated on TNT. “Without them, I cannot do anything. Coaches, players, organization, medical staff, strength coaches, development coaches. It’s all one big circle, but I cannot be whatever I am without them.”
Last season, Jokic was the runner-up to Joel Embiid of the Philadelphia 76ers. Jokic gained the award within the 2020-21 and 2021-22 seasons.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar holds the file for essentially the most MVP awards with six. Michael Jordan and Bill Russell gained it 5 occasions, whereas Wilt Chamberlain and LeBron James every gained 4.
Jokic is tied with Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, and Moses Malone as three-time winners.
Though Jokic gained the award comfortably, he wasn’t offended throughout the TNT interview when it was advised that Gilgeous-Alexander may need been a extra worthy winner.
“There are a lot of players who deserve it,” Jokic stated. “It’s probably the details and the small things.”
Jokic led the Nuggets to the NBA title final season and helped Denver compile a 57-25 file within the 2023-24 common season.
The Nuggets beat the Los Angeles Lakers in 5 video games within the Western Conference first spherical however now face a troublesome scenario after shedding the primary two video games in opposition to the Minnesota Timberwolves within the second spherical. The sequence now shifts to Minneapolis for the subsequent two video games.
“Tomorrow, we leave and go to Minnesota and try to get the series back to Denver,” Jokic stated.
Milwaukee Bucks ahead Giannis Antetokounmpo (192 factors) completed fourth on this season’s balloting, and New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (142 factors) was fifth.
Source: www.dailysabah.com
