When the results for the regular season Michael Jordan MVP Award came in, the Wolves led 2-0 in the series, with two games remaining in Minnesota. Live on TNT, Shaquille O'Neal bluntly explained to Nikola Jokic that it was Shai Gilgeous-Alexander who deserved to receive the award in his place…
Disturbed by the Minneapolis defense, Nikola Jokic and his teammates did not panic. They found solutions to win the next two away games and return to Colorado at 2-2.
It was therefore in a much more comfortable position that the “Joker” received his trophy from the hands of Adam Silver ahead of Game 5. A ceremony which did not particularly move the person concerned, which nevertheless joins a very short list of players who have won this trophy three times: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (6), Bill Russell (5), Michael Jordan (5), Wilt Chamberlain (4), LeBron James (4), Moses Malone (3), Larry Bird (3) and Magic Johnson (3).
Total control…
But his real response was on the pitch, with an (almost) perfect match: 40 points at 15/22 shooting, 7 rebounds, 13 assists for no loss of ball (!) and the best +/- of the match at + 21!
“Nikola was announced MVP after the Game 2 loss and over the next three games, I think he showed why he was one of the best players to ever play the sport.” blurted Mike Malone.
That's the case to say. Kyle Anderson, Karl-Anthony Towns and especially Rudy Gobert did everything they could to hinder him but the “Joker” continually found the fault, with a “footwork” which disgusted the Frenchman on several occasions. And what about his third quarter, when the Wolves seemed to have regained momentum? Or this 3-point shot to kill the match, still on Rudy Gobert?
“He was in the zone” could only smile, yellow, Rudy Gobert. “There were a few shots that I think I blocked, but the ball went in. He was just incredible in that (third) quarter. He put the team on his back. He put everything in, he caused fouls, he went to the line. There are things we could have done better but there are also actions he did that are simply hard to stop. »
And here are the Nuggets back in control of the series, one victory away from the conference final…
| Nikola Jokic | Percentage | Rebounds | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | MJ | Min | Shots | 3pts | L.F. | Off | Def | Early | Pd | Party | Int | Bp | Ct | Pts |
| 2015-16 | DEN | 80 | 22 | 51.2 | 33.3 | 81.1 | 2.3 | 4.7 | 7.0 | 2.4 | 2.6 | 1.0 | 1.3 | 0.6 | 10.0 |
| 2016-17 | DEN | 73 | 28 | 57.8 | 32.4 | 82.5 | 2.9 | 6.9 | 9.8 | 4.9 | 2.9 | 0.8 | 2.3 | 0.8 | 16.7 |
| 2017-18 | DEN | 75 | 33 | 49.9 | 39.6 | 85.0 | 2.6 | 8.1 | 10.7 | 6.1 | 2.8 | 1.2 | 2.8 | 0.8 | 18.5 |
| 2018-19 | DEN | 80 | 31 | 51.1 | 30.7 | 82.1 | 2.9 | 8.0 | 10.8 | 7.3 | 2.9 | 1.4 | 3.1 | 0.7 | 20.1 |
| 2019-20 | DEN | 73 | 32 | 52.8 | 31.4 | 81.7 | 2.3 | 7.5 | 9.7 | 7.0 | 3.0 | 1.2 | 3.1 | 0.6 | 20.0 |
| 2020-21 ★ | DEN | 72 | 35 | 56.6 | 38.8 | 86.8 | 2.9 | 8.0 | 10.8 | 8.3 | 2.7 | 1.3 | 3.1 | 0.7 | 26.4 |
| 2021-22 ★ | DEN | 74 | 34 | 58.3 | 33.7 | 81.0 | 2.8 | 11.0 | 13.8 | 7.9 | 2.6 | 1.5 | 3.8 | 0.9 | 27.1 |
| 2022-23 | DEN | 69 | 34 | 63.2 | 38.3 | 82.2 | 2.4 | 9.4 | 11.8 | 9.8 | 2.5 | 1.3 | 3.6 | 0.7 | 24.5 |
| 2023-24 ★ | DEN | 79 | 35 | 58.3 | 35.9 | 81.7 | 2.8 | 9.5 | 12.4 | 9.0 | 2.5 | 1.4 | 3.0 | 0.9 | 26.4 |
| Total | 675 | 31 | 55.7 | 35.0 | 82.7 | 2.6 | 8.1 | 10.7 | 6.9 | 2.7 | 1.2 | 2.9 | 0.7 | 21.0 | |
How to read the stats? MJ = matches played; Min = Minutes; Shots = Successful shots / Attempted shots; 3pts = 3-points / 3-points attempted; LF = free throws made / free throws attempted; Off = offensive rebound; Def=defensive rebound; Tot = Total rebounds; Pd = assists; Fte: Personal fouls; Int = Intercepts; Bp = Lost balls; Ct: Against; Pts = Points.
