Denver Nuggets’ center/forward Nikola Jokic is set to win his second consecutive NBA Most Valuable Player award, per a report from Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.
https://twitter.com/wojespn/status/1523643566639108096
Jokic, 27, averaged 27.1 points, 13.8 rebounds, and 7.9 assists on 58%/34%/81% shooting splits in 74 games for the Nuggets this season.
His 32.8 Player Efficiency Rating, 15.2 Win Shares, and 9.8 Value Over Replacement Player points ranked number one in the NBA.
Last season, Jokic averaged 26.4 points, 10.8 rebounds, and 8.3 assists on 57%/39%/87% shooting splits.
If Woj’s report proves to be true, Jokic will join Giannis Antetokounmpo, Stephen Curry, LeBron James, Steve Nash, Tim Duncan, Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, Moses Malone, Kareem Abdul-Jabaar, Larry Bird, Wilt Chamberlain, and Bill Russell as one of the only players to ever win back-to-back MVP awards.
Jokic beat out Philadelphia 76ers’ center/forward Joel Embiid and Milwaukee Bucks’ forward Giannis Antetokounmpo to win the award.
Embiid was viewed by many as the favorite; if not for his great play, then for voter fatigue.
But Embiid’s season average of 30.6 points, 11.8 rebounds, and 4.2 assists on 50%/37%/81% shooting splits evidently wasn’t enough.