For over a decade now, Basketball USA offers you every Tuesday its Top 5 candidates for the “Most Valuable Player” trophy (MVP)”. This week, about ten days from the end of the regular season, we decided to look into the lack of support, relative and unprecedented, from which Nikola Jokic at the Nuggetssince his debut in the league.
Fully committed to his eighth season in the NBA, the “Joker” has never experienced the pleasure of seeing one of his teammates selected for the All-Star Game, an All-NBA Team or an All-Defensive Team. pendant that he moved alongside her. Because, yes: the DeMarcus Cousins, Paul Millsap, Isaiah Thomas, DeAndre Jordan, Roy Hibbert, Devin Harris and other Jameer Nelson have all joined Denver when they weren’t the All-Star, All-NBA, or All-Defensive caliber players they once were.
This was recently observed Tom Haberstroh on Twitterwho also dwelt on the support received by the other former MVPs, during their first eight years in the league. And the finding of this research is clear: no one has been as “badly” supported as Nikola Jokic, of all the winners between 1984 and today.
Worse than Kevin Garnett, David Robinson and… Michael Jordan
On average, we notice that an MVP (or future MVP) is surrounded by 12 All-Star, All-NBA or All-Defensive selections from his first eight seasons in the NBA. This ranges from the 29 of Magic Johnson, who obviously owed them a lot to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, to the zero point of Nikola Jokic therefore, cruelly lonely at this level with the Nuggets.
Larry Bird (26) and Kobe Bryant (23), respectively supported by the duo Kevin McHale – Robert Parish and Shaquille O’Neal, are not left out on the podium either. Ditto for Karl Malone (20) and the trio Russell Westbrook (17) – Stephen Curry (17) – Derrick Rose (17) behind, who were not lacking in talent alongside them in Utah, Oklahoma City, Golden State or Chicago.
Conversely, like Nikola Jokic in Denver, we cannot say that David Robinson (5), Michael Jordan (5) and especially Kevin Garnett (2) were especially well supported at the Spurs, the Bulls or the Wolves. Hence their difficulty in finding success in their first eight years in the league. Which could also apply to Dirk Nowitzki (6), LeBron James (6) and Giannis Antetokounmpo (6).
It is however interesting to underline that, of all this list, few are those who managed to triumph collectively. Because, if Magic Johnson, Larry Bird and Kobe Bryant, for example, had no trouble accumulating titles, only Stephen Curry, Shaquille O’Neal, Tim Duncan, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Michael Jordan also won one or more rings during their first eight seasons in the NBA.
A great feat from Antetokounmpo and Jordan, despite a “supporting cast” not really up to par, in terms of distinctions only. But proof that Nikola Jokic is not necessarily “behind” the passing times of some of his peers, because being crowned champion in his first eight years in the league is not given to everyone.
Collective success now at the center of concerns
Of course, this observation is mainly a statistical anecdote, because we cannot say that the Nuggets remain balanced for six seasons in a row and five consecutive playoff campaigns only thanks to Nikola Jokic. This kind of distinction generally depends on the competition, particularly raised in the West, the attractiveness of the market, Denver being less exposed than others, or injuries, which may have plagued the Colorado franchise.
What is certain, however, and with all due respect to Jamal Murray, Paul Millsap, Aaron Gordon or Michael Porter Jr, is that the « Joker » has always been the only master aboard the ship of the Nuggets and that he has never been part of a “superteam” like others. What serve him collectively at the time of the playoffs, but also what allow him to take all the light individually.
Hence these two MVP trophies won in 2021 then 2022 and this legitimate favorite status for the title of MVP 2023. No offense to Joel Embiid and Giannis Antetokounmpo, who however remain in the race to beat Nikola Jokic in the photo -finish. Even if the most important thing for Jokic, as for Antetokounmpo now, is to triumph with his team.
2023 MVP RACE: OUR TOP 5
1 – Nikola Jokic (Nuggets)
With: 51 wins, 24 losses – 1st in the West.
Matches: 67 disputed out of 75 possible.
Stats : 24.9 sts, 11.9 reb, 9.9 sc, 1.2 int, 0.7 ctr and 3.5 sc in 34 min.
Percentages: 63% on shots, 39% at 3-pts and 82% on throws.
2 – Joel Embiid (Sixers)
With: 49 wins, 26 losses – 3rd in the East.
Matches: 61 disputed out of 75 possible.
Stats : 33.3 sts, 10.2 reb, 4.2 sc, 1.1 int, 1.7 ctr and 3.5 sc in 35 min.
Percentages: 55% on shots, 34% at 3-pts and 86% on throws.
3 – Giannis Antetokounmpo (Bucks)
With: 54 wins, 21 losses – 1st in the East.
Matches: 59 disputed out of 75 possible.
Stats : 31.1 sts, 11.7 reb, 5.6 sc, 0.8 int, 0.8 ctr et 3.9 sc in 32 min.
Percentages: 55% shooting, 29% 3-pt and 65% throwing.
4 – Jayson Tatum (Celtics)
With: 52 wins, 23 losses – 2nd in the East.
Matches: 69 contested out of 75 possible.
Stats : 30.1 sts, 8.9 reb, 4.7 sc, 1.0 int, 0.7 ctr and 3.0 sc in 37 min.
Percentages: 46% on shots, 34% at 3-pts and 85% on throws.
5 – Domantas Sabonis (Kings)
With: 45 wins, 30 losses – 3rd in the West.
Matches: 73 disputed out of 75 possible.
Stats : 19.2 sts, 12.5 reb, 7.2 sc, 0.8 int, 0.5 ctr and 2.9 sc in 35 min.
Percentages: 61% shooting, 35% 3-point and 76% throwing.
