Nikola Jokic might have let Joel Embiid get past him in the KIA MVP ladder recently, but the Nuggets’ MVP is not going away anytime soon. The Joker has come up with another monstrous triple-double to take back his claim.
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In the Nuggets’ 108-102 victory against the Nets, the Serbian big man put up 22 points, 17 rebounds, 10 assists, and stole the rock twice playing away from home. This was not just another dominant display by the reigning-defending 2x MVP of the league, it was a milestone one.
Nikola Jokic has more 20-15-10 than the entire league
With his 9th 20 points, 15 rebounds, and 10 assists or more games of the season, Jokic now has 3 more games than the entire NBA in the category.
Jokic today:
22 PTS
17 REB
10 AST
2 STL
9-12 FGMore 20/15/10 games than the rest of the league combined this season. pic.twitter.com/4CjCLcY0tw
— StatMuse (@statmuse) March 19, 2023
As outrageous as it sounds, he does it effortlessly, without breaking a sweat. His team being on a losing spree of late, but he has been giving his all to stop that from happening.
The Nuggets have lost five of their last seven outings, and Jokic has been otherworldly efficient in the latest six of them.
Nikola Jokic over the last 6 Games:
37 PTS, 11 REB, 11 AST, 58% FG
35 PTS, 20 REB, 11 AST, 61% FG
28 PTS, 8 REB, 7 AST, 77% FG
30 PTS, 10 REB, 9 AST, 78% FG
24 PTS, 10 REB, 8 AST, 61% FG
22 PTS, 17 REB, 10 AST, 75% FG pic.twitter.com/Sa5C9QDJnR— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) March 19, 2023
It’s time we stop blaming only his lack of defense for the Denver team’s failure to win certain games.
Jokic contributes in plenty of ways, unfair to also expect defense from him
Assume he is a point guard or a highly efficient purely offensive wing. We never expect Stephen Curry or Kevin Durant to play defense, then why are we doing it with Jokic?
The Nuggets should have always played him with a good post-defending forward or a backup big, Isiah Hartenstein. How he has been dominating and dictating a game’s offense and the board, he would be a cheat code if he were good defensively as well.
It’s time for us to be sensible, cut him some slack, and start talking about more Denver management. And as far as “experts” like Kendrick Perkins go, they are going to drive insensible notions irrespective of how good anyone is, just for clickbait.
