NBA discourse can often lack context and nuance, but sadly, that’s the world we live in. So while it’s obviously incredible news that Nikola Jokic avoided a major injury, it’s still a very tough blow in a lot of ways that relate to his resume and legacy as he puts together a worthy case to be remembered as the greatest basketball player of all time.
The Joker was having arguably the best season of his career, and with the way he and the team have been playing, he was leading the hunt for a fourth MVP trophy. Sadly, that bid may have been derailed on Monday night.
Incredibly, Jokic hasn’t missed a game yet this season and has played in all 32 of Denver’s games so far. But assuming he’ll be out for at least the month of January, that’s 18 games and would make the max number played in for the Joker 64 games for the season.
That number would be one game below the 65-game threshold, and even if Jokic came back a little early, the last thing the team wants to do is push him to play in every game while recovering from a knee injury to chase regular-season awards.
Jokic was on track for legacy-defining season
Jokic’s reputation and legacy were never in doubt, but at this point, he’s chasing the true legends of the sport. He was named the NBA’s player of the month for October and November, and appears primed to win it again in December.
He is averaging 29.6 points, 12.2 rebounds, and 11 assists per game, leading the league in the latter two categories. He has done it on ridiculous efficiency, and has been leading his team to a top seed in a loaded Western Conference despite injuries to multiple starters.
A fourth MVP Award would have vaulted the Joker into some truly historic company, as that feat has only been accomplished by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Bill Russell, Michael Jordan, Wilt Chamberlain, and LeBron James. That’s the air that Jokic was heading towards, but for this season, those talks look to be off the table.
So, as great as it would be for Jokic to win a fourth MVP Award and make a seventh All-NBA team, those accolades are almost surely out of the question for this season. But the one thing that would do more for Jokic’s legacy than anything else is still on the table, and that’s winning a second championship.
That was always the main goal, and everything else is just window dressing along the way. It’s unfortunate that Jokic won’t earn the honors he deserves, but the fact that he avoided a major injury and should be back to 100% long before the playoffs is the only thing that truly matters.