It’s tonight that the NBA will unveil the name of the new MVP, and don’t count on Nikola Jokic to be glued to the TV screen or social media. “I have no interest in it” he replied at a press conference. “It’s like that, and I don’t even think about it.”
But what has he planned for this Tuesday? “I hope the weather will be nice, so I’ll go to the swimming pool. »
The Serb has never been thrilled with individual awards, but he had a very bad time at the end of the regular season when his candidacy was denigrated, leaving Joel Embiid in the spotlight. The Denver pivot had an exceptional season, almost a “triple-double”, and his team finished in first place in the Western Conference. Despite that, and suddenly, we didn’t talk about him in the home stretch.
A historic hat-trick in the sights
“It is no coincidence that he is MVP” recalls Mike Malone after his leader’s 39 points and 16 rebounds in the second set. “He can take a game on his own. He can dominate you in many ways. I like when a player can go to the circle, and he imposes his will… I like when he is aggressive. »
For Malone, regardless of the outcome of tonight’s votes, in his mind, Jokic remains the best player in the NBA. “If he wins it, we will be very happy for him, and we will celebrate that because it is a huge achievement. Few players in history have won three MVP trophies in a row. If he is not elected, I will still take him in my arms, and I will tell him that in my eyes, he is the MVP. »
