Nikola Jokic is having one of the best seasons in NBA history. He's currently leading the league in rebounds and assists, a feat no one has done, and he's secured a second season in a row averaging a triple-double. But the last ESPN MVP straw poll of the year revealed that someone out there has it out for the Joker, because to leave him off the ballot entirely in a season he's doing this, it's totally egregious.
Jokic's been unfairly judged for making greatness look normal. The Serbian big man probably should have won five MVPs and would be looking for six in a row, but we can't have a generational talent do that now, can we? The goal post continues to change for what brings in an MVP, and the detractors this year point to the Nuggets' record and Jokic's turnovers.
In fairness, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is having a superb season for the Thunder, as is Victor Wembanyama for the Spurs. But who leaves off the Joker from the ballot entirely?
Jokic's season is better than his and other MVP seasons
We'll relent and say Jokic probably isn't going to win the MVP. Sure, the critics and the NBA can have that, I guess. But don't leave off the guy leading the NBA in two of the three major stat categories! The Joker's season is better than his MVP seasons. And some other MVPs.
Jokic is having the best season of his career by the numbers. 27.7 points per game is the second-highest of his career, which is better than the 23.8 points Steph Curry had when he won MVP in 2014-15. 13.0 rebounds is the second-highest mark for Jokic, and it's more rebounds than when Joel Embiid won the MVP in 2022-23.
And in assists, the passing wizard is averaging 10.8, higher than the 10.2 Jokic had last year, and higher than the 10.4 Russell Westbrook had for his MVP season in 2016-17.
The detractors point to turnovers, but that's laughable
The Nuggets' record is certainly a factor for Jokic winning the MVP, but it's not a reason to leave him off the ballot. That person must have been filled with contempt because of the alarming number of turnovers the Joker had this year, right? It shouldn't matter so much.
Jokic is turning the ball over at the worst rate of his career, yes, but it's 3.9 turnovers per game against 3.8 turnovers when he won MVP in 2021-22.
People were putting Luka ahead of Jokic because of the Lakers' record, but ignoring his 4.0 turnovers per game. Can we just call it what it smells like? Voter fatigue.
Jokic normalized greatness, and people are bored with him winning. The same could happen to SGA in a year or two. But to leave off someone with this kind of season from the ballot? Egregious.