Nikola Jokic being named the MVP in the NBA for the second season running was never in doubt, really. The Serb had been tipped by many as the standout candidate.
And when it was announced that he was the 2021-22 MVP, most would have been in agreement with the vote.
Jokic, 27, picked up sixty-five of a possible one hundred first-place votes, which put him truly in the driving seat, and it was beyond doubt that most felt that he was fully deserving of the accolade.
In total, the Denver Nuggets center, who has just penned a new deal with the franchise, collected 875 points.
Others in the running for the MVP award were Joel Embiid, who picked up 706 points and Giannis Antetokounmpo, who racked up 595. The latter was the last person to win the MVP award in consecutive seasons before Jokic achieved the feat.
After being named the MVP for the 2020-21 season, what Jokic had to do was improve on last year. He couldn’t deliver the same and expect just to collect the award. So, the Serb worked hard at his game to make noticeable improvements and to kick on to the next level.
As you will expect, his hard work paid off, as there were career highs in points, blocks, rebounds and steals. Jokic was a man on a mission and out to show that he’s the NBA’s top player right now, bar none.
What also assisted Jokic in his quest for stardom once again was the fierce competition from the likes of Embiid and Antetokounmpo that pushed him all the way.
It is these types of players that make
basketball betting an exciting proposition. With so many markets to choose from, it allows fans to really hone in on areas that the likes of Jokic, Embiid and Antetokounmpo can influence.
Each player and their team brought something else to the table. For example, Embiid was the top scorer with an impressive average of 30.6 points.
The
Milwaukee Bucks, who Antetokounmpo represents, were the highest seed of the three teams represented by the trio, finishing third in the Eastern Conference. And Jokic’s Nuggets were a number six seed.
The question on everyone’s mind now is whether Jokic has it in him to take things to an even higher level and raise the bar once again?
Of course, you’d imagine that it is his intention after penning a historic five-year contract extension with the Nuggets, but just how much more has the current MVP got to give?
If Jokic was to win the MVP award for a third season running, he’d join an elite band of players such as Moses Malone, Larry Bird, and Magic Johnson, who have all collected the accolade three times.
But, it will be a big ask, and Embiid and Antetokounmpo will both be out to rival the Nuggets talisman once again.
