There's not much you can knock Nikola Jokic for, on or off the basketball court. He's still the best player in the world, but the margin is shrinking rapidly to Victor Wembanyama of the San Antonio Spurs. Wemby's a terrific defender, the best in the world in that regard, and if the Denver Nuggets star center and three-time MVP wants to add another MVP trophy to his mantle, it's quite simple what Jokic has to do. Play better defense.
Jokic is no doubt the best offensive player in the NBA, and he's one of the best ever. He's the first player in NBA history to lead the league in rebounds and assists in the same season, a feat he accomplished just last season. However, it still wasn't enough to win his fourth MVP. Sure, it could have been voter fatigue. But Jokic's defense fell off a cliff in the last two seasons compared to his last MVP-winning year, and a return to form would go a long way in helping him secure his fourth MVP.
Jokic needs to make it harder to score in the paint
Jokic will never be a great rim protector. He's never averaged over 0.9 blocks per game in a season. However, he is capable of playing better defense than we saw at times during the regular season. It may not have looked like it, but Jokic actually did a better job in the playoffs against the Minnesota Timberwolves than the layup line that inundated the Nuggets would suggest.
Timberwolves players shot just 57.1% from inside six feet when Jokic was the primary defender, which was 9.5% lower than the league average of 66.6%. And in 2023-24, when the Nuggets had a much better overall defense, one that ranked 8th in defensive rating, he was 13th among 90 qualified players defending the pick-and-roll. He won his third MVP that year. But 2024-25 saw his PNR defense drop to 68th among 78 qualified players, and the Nuggets dropped to 21st in defensive rating. They finished 21st again in 2025-26, and Jokic again found himself in second place in the MVP voting for the second straight year as well.
Some of that change could be due to defensive scheming, which should improve this season under the tutelage of new assistant coach Dave Joerger, who has a track record of improving defenses over his coaching career. Hopefully, that's what gets Joker back on track.
Clearly, it looks like the MVP voters took defense into account with their voting. And if Jokic is to win his fourth MVP, defense is the answer. It'll also go a long way toward improving the Nuggets' chances of advancing deeper into the playoffs in 2026-27.
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