A three time MVP, a six time All-NBA team member, a six time All-Star, and a Finals MVP. We are in the midst of what will potentially be a top 10 player of all time’s peak. Each year, folks think he can’t get better, and yet, Nikola Jokic keeps ascending higher and higher. He keeps leading the Denver Nuggets to wins, to success, and to surpassing expectations.
After what was a lackluster start for the Nuggets, where they bounced between play-in spots, a fifth or sixth seed spot here or there, they have really come on as of late. Since the loss to the Washington Wizards, where Nikola Jokic dropped 56 points and the Nuggets still managed to come up short somehow, the Nuggets have a record of 17-6 in their last 23 games played. If you take out the two losses and one win that came without Nikola you get a record of 16-4. If you extrapolate that win percentage over an entire season that’s roughly a 66 win pace.
They’re 8-2 in their last 10 games played, and 9-1 in the last 10 that Jokic has been active for. This has led to them getting a cushion of three games up as the fourth seed in the Western Conference, and only one game behind the Grizzlies for the third seed. While they’re not winning as much as the Thunder by any means, the Nuggets aren’t slouches anymore. Jamal Murray has woken up from his early season slumber, and Russell Westbrook has really made a difference. Aaron Gordon off the bench has solved some issues for the Nuggets. His minutes without Jokic this season, while small in sample size, have actually been positive with a +1.4 net rating. None of this, however, would be possible without the best player in the world.
Inevitability
Nikola Jokic has been the best player in the entire NBA for years at this point. He’s someone that everyone accepts that about at this point. Far are we from the discussions of him or Jahlil Okafor, him or Kristaps Porzingis, him or Karl-Anthony Towns, and now him or Joel Embiid. No matter who it is he goes against, individually he is the better player. Those discussions have been wrapped up for a little while now. Then he elevated again.
His scoring has taken a leap that was sorely needed for the Nuggets, but not many saw coming. It’s heights we haven’t ever seen from him, at least not on this consistent of a basis. Last season, he made 79 starts and scored 30 or more points in 28 of those. That’s 35.4% of his games. This season? In 38 games, he’s done it 18 times. That puts the percentage at 47.4%. He’s being aggressive, he’s doing what the team needs, and is making up for the losses that have happened over the last couple off-seasons. With the lack of spacing that the Nuggets generate, it’s what he’s had to do to get games in the win column.
That lack of spacing is largely responsible for him launching more from deep too. His previous career high in three pointers attempted per game was 3.9, and that took place in his first MVP season back in 2021-22. This season, he’s up to 4.3. That’s especially notable considering last season he took 2.9 per game, and the season before that it was 2.2. This coincides with a career high in percentage as well. At 47.9%, he’s leading the league in percentage among those taking at least four three point attempts per game.
If there’s ever an issue with the Nuggets offense, Jokic fixes it. Cramped spacing? Fine, he’ll take and make the most threes he’s ever had. Want to double him? Fine, he’ll be second in assists per game in the league and the best floor raiser of the decade. Want to leave him in single coverage? Well, too bad, he’ll average over 30 points per game. Right now, he’s on pace to be the first player to average a triple-double since Russell Westbrook. He’d also be the first big to ever do it.
Shai-Gilgeous Alexander has a great argument for MVP, and I don’t think he’s an unworthy candidate. This is probably the best race for the award since Westbrook and Harden back in 2017. However, instead of a sixth seed and a 47 win season like Westbrook had – Jokic is on pace for a top four seed, and the Nuggets are on a 52 win pace right now. That includes the slow start as well. It wouldn’t be shocking to see them potentially finish around 55 wins. In my book? He’s bound for his fourth MVP.
In the book of NBA history? He’s on pace to be a top 10 player ever.
