By Michael Gentleman
The current MVP race is perhaps the most competitive in the last 25 years, showcasing a blend of established superstars and an emerging face of the league. As the postseason edges closer and closer, the ongoing debate about who will win the award will finally be over. While it certainly is a close race with the top two contenders both having historic seasons, the answer isn’t as complicated as it’s being made out to be — Nikola Jokić should be walking away with his fourth MVP.
Nikola Jokic has completely redefined the center position over the last half-decade with his extraordinary playmaking and scoring abilities. Averaging 29.8 points, 12.8 rebounds, and 10.2 assists per game, he’s on track to become the first center in NBA history to average a triple-double for a season – oh, and he also ranks top 3 in the league in all those categories. His efficiency is equally remarkable, shooting 56.8% from the field (8th) and 42.0% from three (14th). That’s absurd for a 6-foot-11 big man.
But it’s not just the box score. When Jokic is on the court, the Nuggets become a completely different team – a championship front-runner. With him playing, the Nuggets have a net rating of +10.6, meaning they are outscoring opponents by 10.6 points per 100 possessions. When he is off the court, in sharp contrast, Denver has a -8.2 net rating. Out of all the players with a positive net rating this year, his +18.8 swing on and off the court is far and away the largest difference.
And then there are the moments and the games that stop you in your tracks. On April 1st, he recorded a historic triple-double with 61 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists against the Minnesota Timberwolves in their 140-139 double-overtime loss – the first ever 60-10-10 game.
And just a month earlier, on March 7th, Jokic delivered a 31-point, 21-rebound, 22-assist game as the Nuggets beat the Phoenix Suns 149-141 in overtime – and yes, that is also the first ever 30-20-20 game. This is not just MVP stuff, this is stuff we’ll still be talking about in 10 years.
Of course, this isn’t a one-man race, Jokic certainly still has strong competition from young Oklahoma City Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. SGA is leading the Thunder to an NBA-best 64-14 record while averaging a league-leading 32.6 points per game along with 6.0 assists and 5.2 rebounds.
However, when looking at his impact on OKC’s net rating, there is a clear difference between him and Jokic. When SGA sits, the Thunder are still really, really good.
With SGA on the floor, the Thunder have a +18.3 net rating – marking the highest net rating in the league. Of course, this is incredibly impressive and shows just how great of a player he is, but with SGA off the court, the Thunder still have a +5.8 net rating. The difference of +12.5 again shows how great an impact SGA has on his team, but the fact that his team still has a fantastic net rating (this would rank 4th in the NBA amongst all teams) means that Jokic is much more valuable to his own team’s success than SGA is to his team.
This race might be filled with stars, but there’s only one player who checks every MVP box — and then rewrites the criteria. Jokić’s statistical dominance, his overwhelming impact on team performance, and his record-breaking performances leave little room for debate.
So let’s not overthink it. Jokić isn’t just having the best season of anyone this year — he’s doing things we’ve never seen before. The MVP award should reflect that. And when the votes are counted, it should reflect him.