NBA MVP Discussion Thread 2022-23 (pt 2)

[BelgradeNugget]

What a special night for the Nuggets. Season high 38 assists. 16 dunks.

Murray triple double and Pacers destroyed. Looks like they had a lot of fun out there.

The Nuggets have won the last 3 games Jokic missed (3-2) overall. Mavs are 0-5 without Luka.

Not sure how rational it is to prop up a candidate because his team finishes #1 or #2 and downgrade someone else for his team finishing #5 or #6, when there's an obvious gap in talent in the roster around them.

But throughout NBA history we've rarely seen a player win MVP if their team isn't Top 4.

If I am not mistaken, the Nuggets last year finished #6 seed and the 10th best record in the league.

Yes, and Jokic was the most deserving candidate, had the best statistical season in history by some advanced stats, was 1st in all other advanced stats, achieved something no other player in history did (2000/1000/500), and in the process won more games than Giannis, Embiid, Luka. Only Tatum and Booker won more. So again what is the argument for anybody over him last year?

This season he is also doing some historical ****, the best stats. His team is really good this season, unlike last year and as expected when he has great team, not only he, but his team is dominating. Lifting everybody else around him to best seasons (AG, KCP, Brown), because he is the best playmaker and offensive player in the league. What is there not to understand?

[eyeatoma]

In the history of NBA MVP, no 3 time MVP has failed to win a title during their MVP seasons. In fact, the only multi-MVP not to win titles or at least appear in finals during their MVP runs are Jokic and Nash. Karl Malone won 2 MVPs and lost to Bulls in finals one of those seasons. Bob Petit won 2 MVPs and won his ring the year before his second MVP. Jokic’s first round exit last year is the 4th time in NBA history that has happened to an MVP. Russell Westbrook once and Moses Malone twice in Houston were the only others. Moses won MVP year after losing to Celtics in finals (carrying a team with no other notable players past the great 80s Lakers) and again in his title year in Philly.

Jokic appears on track to win his 3rd MVP - statistically. If he does so and has another flameout in playoffs I wonder if NBA will change selection process again. How can a guy be so dominant as to get selected MVP 3 straight years and fail to even get past second round during that time? Say what you want about Luka but he carried a very weak team to WCF last year on his back.

This! More people are going to bring this up as we get closer to the end of the season. Hoping common sense will prevail and a historically colossal **** up doesn't occur.

[cam24thomas]

In the history of NBA MVP, no 3 time MVP has failed to win a title during their MVP seasons. In fact, the only multi-MVP not to win titles or at least appear in finals during their MVP runs are Jokic and Nash. Karl Malone won 2 MVPs and lost to Bulls in finals one of those seasons. Bob Petit won 2 MVPs and won his ring the year before his second MVP. Jokic’s first round exit last year is the 4th time in NBA history that has happened to an MVP. Russell Westbrook once and Moses Malone twice in Houston were the only others. Moses won MVP year after losing to Celtics in finals (carrying a team with no other notable players past the great 80s Lakers) and again in his title year in Philly.

Jokic appears on track to win his 3rd MVP - statistically. If he does so and has another flameout in playoffs I wonder if NBA will change selection process again. How can a guy be so dominant as to get selected MVP 3 straight years and fail to even get past second round during that time? Say what you want about Luka but he carried a very weak team to WCF last year on his back.

Its a regular season award, whomever is best at dominating the regular season should win MVP, regardless of what they've done in the past playoffs....
And we've got the Finals MVP to reward those whom go all the way in the playoffs.

[BelgradeNugget]

In the history of NBA MVP, no 3 time MVP has failed to win a title during their MVP seasons. In fact, the only multi-MVP not to win titles or at least appear in finals during their MVP runs are Jokic and Nash. Karl Malone won 2 MVPs and lost to Bulls in finals one of those seasons. Bob Petit won 2 MVPs and won his ring the year before his second MVP. Jokic’s first round exit last year is the 4th time in NBA history that has happened to an MVP. Russell Westbrook once and Moses Malone twice in Houston were the only others. Moses won MVP year after losing to Celtics in finals (carrying a team with no other notable players past the great 80s Lakers) and again in his title year in Philly.

Jokic appears on track to win his 3rd MVP - statistically. If he does so and has another flameout in playoffs I wonder if NBA will change selection process again. How can a guy be so dominant as to get selected MVP 3 straight years and fail to even get past second round during that time? Say what you want about Luka but he carried a very weak team to WCF last year on his back.

Name me a player in history who wins championship with starting lineup of Monte Morris/Will Barton/Jeff Green/AG/?????
The year before it was Campazzo/Austin Rivers/MPJ/AG/Jokic. They beat fully healthy Portland team...and lost in 2nd round after MPJ injured his back.

About Luka, great player no doubt, but last year Mavs had .634 winning pct, NY had .451. You take just one player off of that team add to NY and Dallas is at .532 as NY. Did I forget to mention Dallas also added 18.4/8.4 on 54/39/74 player in Wood.
Dinwiddie led 2019-20 Nets to POs. I would say he is a good player.

Morris and Barton, Campazzo and Rivers are leading their teams to... D

Luka is shooting 49.7% from the filed for the season. And that is good. Jokic had this bad shooting percentage only one time this season (under 50%).
And one more thing I want to ask. Dallas has 7 player who are better 3pt shooters than Doncic. Why is he talking the most 3s per game? Isn't his job as playmaker to set his team for best shots like some of that 7 players shooting 3s instead of him?

[BelgradeNugget]

One funny thing is happening in this tread. People have lost all arguments against Jokic so they are starting to criticize him for uncertain future.

Yes, if Nuggets are healthy and don't make it to finals it would be disappointment for this team and he would deserve all criticism in the world as a leader of that team. If they lost in finals I would be disappointed too.
But let's stop to criticize a player who never disappointed in POs for something he has never done. Try to find better arguments people.

This is second part in this years MVP tread. I didn't se a lot of people in 1st part supporting Jokic. But now, as things have come to place, what is clear is clear...

[sam_I_am]

In the history of NBA MVP, no 3 time MVP has failed to win a title during their MVP seasons. In fact, the only multi-MVP not to win titles or at least appear in finals during their MVP runs are Jokic and Nash. Karl Malone won 2 MVPs and lost to Bulls in finals one of those seasons. Bob Petit won 2 MVPs and won his ring the year before his second MVP. Jokic’s first round exit last year is the 4th time in NBA history that has happened to an MVP. Russell Westbrook once and Moses Malone twice in Houston were the only others. Moses won MVP year after losing to Celtics in finals (carrying a team with no other notable players past the great 80s Lakers) and again in his title year in Philly.

Jokic appears on track to win his 3rd MVP - statistically. If he does so and has another flameout in playoffs I wonder if NBA will change selection process again. How can a guy be so dominant as to get selected MVP 3 straight years and fail to even get past second round during that time? Say what you want about Luka but he carried a very weak team to WCF last year on his back.

Name me a player in history who wins championship with starting lineup of Monte Morris/Will Barton/Jeff Green/AG/?????
The year before it was Campazzo/Austin Rivers/MPJ/AG/Jokic. They beat fully healthy Portland team...and lost in 2nd round after MPJ injured his back.

About Luka, great player no doubt, but last year Mavs had .634 winning pct, NY had .451. You take just one player off of that team add to NY and Dallas is at .532 as NY. Did I forget to mention Dallas also added 18.4/8.4 on 54/39/74 player in Wood.
Dinwiddie led 2019-20 Nets to POs. I would say he is a good player.

Morris and Barton, Campazzo and Rivers are leading their teams to... D

Luka is shooting 49.7% from the filed for the season. And that is good. Jokic had this bad shooting percentage only one time this season (under 50%).
And one more thing I want to ask. Dallas has 7 player who are better 3pt shooters than Doncic. Why is he talking the most 3s per game? Isn't his job as playmaker to set his team for best shots like some of that 7 player shooting 3s instead of him?

Moses Malone took a terrible team to finals beating Magic/Kareem and taking Bird and co. to 6 games.

Lebron James took a no name Cavs team to finals beating a great Pistons team to get there.

No disrespect to Jokic. As a 2 time MVP his place in history is secure. He is only 1/15 to ever win 2 MVPs. To reward him with 3 in a row when guys like Jordan and Lebron were not despite 6 or 8 straight finals appearances is just wrong. Is it fair to malign a player for being on a relatively weak team? No. But to reward him as one of 4 most dominant players in history when he can’t get past second round in a normal playoff year…..I think it’s wrong.

[BelgradeNugget]

In the history of NBA MVP, no 3 time MVP has failed to win a title during their MVP seasons. In fact, the only multi-MVP not to win titles or at least appear in finals during their MVP runs are Jokic and Nash. Karl Malone won 2 MVPs and lost to Bulls in finals one of those seasons. Bob Petit won 2 MVPs and won his ring the year before his second MVP. Jokic’s first round exit last year is the 4th time in NBA history that has happened to an MVP. Russell Westbrook once and Moses Malone twice in Houston were the only others. Moses won MVP year after losing to Celtics in finals (carrying a team with no other notable players past the great 80s Lakers) and again in his title year in Philly.

Jokic appears on track to win his 3rd MVP - statistically. If he does so and has another flameout in playoffs I wonder if NBA will change selection process again. How can a guy be so dominant as to get selected MVP 3 straight years and fail to even get past second round during that time? Say what you want about Luka but he carried a very weak team to WCF last year on his back.

Name me a player in history who wins championship with starting lineup of Monte Morris/Will Barton/Jeff Green/AG/?????
The year before it was Campazzo/Austin Rivers/MPJ/AG/Jokic. They beat fully healthy Portland team...and lost in 2nd round after MPJ injured his back.

About Luka, great player no doubt, but last year Mavs had .634 winning pct, NY had .451. You take just one player off of that team add to NY and Dallas is at .532 as NY. Did I forget to mention Dallas also added 18.4/8.4 on 54/39/74 player in Wood.
Dinwiddie led 2019-20 Nets to POs. I would say he is a good player.

Morris and Barton, Campazzo and Rivers are leading their teams to... D

Luka is shooting 49.7% from the filed for the season. And that is good. Jokic had this bad shooting percentage only one time this season (under 50%).
And one more thing I want to ask. Dallas has 7 player who are better 3pt shooters than Doncic. Why is he talking the most 3s per game? Isn't his job as playmaker to set his team for best shots like some of that 7 player shooting 3s instead of him?

Moses Malone took a terrible team to finals beating Magic/Kareem and taking Bird and co. to 6 games.

Lebron James took a no name Cavs team to finals beating a great Pistons team to get there.

No disrespect to Jokic. As a 2 time MVP his place in history is secure. He is only 1/15 to ever win 2 MVPs. To reward him with 3 in a row when guys like Jordan and Lebron were not despite 6 or 8 straight finals appearances is just wrong. Is it fair to malign a player for being on a relatively weak team? No. But to reward him as one of 4 most dominant players in history when he can’t get past second round in a normal playoff year…..I think it’s wrong.

Again I don't care much about this MVP staff, much more about Nuggets winning it all, but I already ask what if he wins this year? So you would give this MVP to someone else, much less deserving simple by the fact Jokic didn't win championship in the past? And this is the first time he really have a team to do it. How would it look if voters decide not to give him award because he didn't win chip, and give it to someone less deserving, but Jokic wins it all this year?

BTW Jokic led his team to WCF two years ago coming back from 1-3 down twice, hit series winning shot against Jazz, beat favorites LA Clipps in the 2nd round. He was 25 at the time, Murray was 23.. little young. I know Moses made one more step, but didn't won a chip as you said.

Anyway, please answer, who in the history of the game leads Monte Morris/Will Barton/Jeff Green/AG/ or Campazzo/Austin Rivers/MPJ/AG/ to championship?

[LessEyeTest]

Jokic played the Warriors in the first round with, by far, the worst teammates in the playoffs and took a game off them through sheer will.

Eyeatoma’s opinion doesn’t matter, he’s an unhinged Jokic hater.

[LessEyeTest]

Jokic is gonna win #3, yall have to learn to deal with it.

Btw Jokic has NEVER in his entire career played with an all star teammate. So if he wins this year it’s the GOAT carry job am I right?

[Infinite Llamas]

Maybe we wait till Jokic’s career is done to criticize him for lack of rings opposed to the age of 27?

[sam_I_am]

Name me a player in history who wins championship with starting lineup of Monte Morris/Will Barton/Jeff Green/AG/?????
The year before it was Campazzo/Austin Rivers/MPJ/AG/Jokic. They beat fully healthy Portland team...and lost in 2nd round after MPJ injured his back.

About Luka, great player no doubt, but last year Mavs had .634 winning pct, NY had .451. You take just one player off of that team add to NY and Dallas is at .532 as NY. Did I forget to mention Dallas also added 18.4/8.4 on 54/39/74 player in Wood.
Dinwiddie led 2019-20 Nets to POs. I would say he is a good player.

Morris and Barton, Campazzo and Rivers are leading their teams to... D

Luka is shooting 49.7% from the filed for the season. And that is good. Jokic had this bad shooting percentage only one time this season (under 50%).
And one more thing I want to ask. Dallas has 7 player who are better 3pt shooters than Doncic. Why is he talking the most 3s per game? Isn't his job as playmaker to set his team for best shots like some of that 7 player shooting 3s instead of him?

Moses Malone took a terrible team to finals beating Magic/Kareem and taking Bird and co. to 6 games.

Lebron James took a no name Cavs team to finals beating a great Pistons team to get there.

No disrespect to Jokic. As a 2 time MVP his place in history is secure. He is only 1/15 to ever win 2 MVPs. To reward him with 3 in a row when guys like Jordan and Lebron were not despite 6 or 8 straight finals appearances is just wrong. Is it fair to malign a player for being on a relatively weak team? No. But to reward him as one of 4 most dominant players in history when he can’t get past second round in a normal playoff year…..I think it’s wrong.

Again I don't care much about this MVP staff, much more about Nuggets winning it all, but I already ask what if he wins this year? So you would give this MVP to someone else, much less deserving simple by the fact Jokic didn't win championship in the past? And this is the first time he really have a team to do it. How would it look if voters decide not to give him award because he didn't win chip, and give it to someone less deserving, but Jokic wins it all this year?

BTW Jokic led his team to WCF two years ago coming back from 1-3 down twice, hit series winning shot against Jazz, beat favorites LA Clipps in the 2nd round. He was 25 at the time, Murray was 23.. little young. I know Moses made one more step, but didn't won a chip as you said.

Anyway, please answer, who in the history of the game leads Monte Morris/Will Barton/Jeff Green/AG/ or Campazzo/Austin Rivers/MPJ/AG/ to championship?

Steph Curry was obviously last year’s MVP and best player but his teammates got injured and his team fell off a cliff for half the season after amazing start. Better players than Jokic have been robbed of the award many times before. Kobe has 1 MVP for example. Jokic is a great player but he’s only averaging 25 ppg and there are other players equally deserving like Luka, Embiid, Tatum. Durant looks deserving when you look at the Nets team without him. I think he already has been overly rewarded for his track record as it is. Sure his numbers are impeccable but he hasn’t delivered at a 3 time MVP level….not even close.

[Infinite Llamas]

And news flash again…

Bird/Russell/Wilt don’t even make it out of the first round either if they play alongside Rivers/Barton/Morris/AG. These guys had some ATG teammates and it gets swept under the rug in these conversations.

This season is a greater test for Jokic as he finally has a competent team. It isn’t about making excuses for him. He’s done as much as he can with what he has had. What more can you ask from a player?

People expecting this guy to build a log cabin when his building supplies have been popsicle sticks and toothpicks

[BelgradeNugget]

Moses Malone took a terrible team to finals beating Magic/Kareem and taking Bird and co. to 6 games.

Lebron James took a no name Cavs team to finals beating a great Pistons team to get there.

No disrespect to Jokic. As a 2 time MVP his place in history is secure. He is only 1/15 to ever win 2 MVPs. To reward him with 3 in a row when guys like Jordan and Lebron were not despite 6 or 8 straight finals appearances is just wrong. Is it fair to malign a player for being on a relatively weak team? No. But to reward him as one of 4 most dominant players in history when he can’t get past second round in a normal playoff year…..I think it’s wrong.

Again I don't care much about this MVP staff, much more about Nuggets winning it all, but I already ask what if he wins this year? So you would give this MVP to someone else, much less deserving simple by the fact Jokic didn't win championship in the past? And this is the first time he really have a team to do it. How would it look if voters decide not to give him award because he didn't win chip, and give it to someone less deserving, but Jokic wins it all this year?

BTW Jokic led his team to WCF two years ago coming back from 1-3 down twice, hit series winning shot against Jazz, beat favorites LA Clipps in the 2nd round. He was 25 at the time, Murray was 23.. little young. I know Moses made one more step, but didn't won a chip as you said.

Anyway, please answer, who in the history of the game leads Monte Morris/Will Barton/Jeff Green/AG/ or Campazzo/Austin Rivers/MPJ/AG/ to championship?

Steph Curry was obviously last year’s MVP and best player but his teammates got injured and his team fell off a cliff for half the season after amazing start. Better players than Jokic have been robbed of the award many times before. Kobe has 1 MVP for example. Jokic is a great player but he’s only averaging 25 ppg and there are other players equally deserving like Luka, Embiid, Tatum. Durant looks deserving when you look at the Nets team without him. I think he already has been overly rewarded for his track record as it is.

You want to say Curry should have won last year instead of Jokic? Some players got robbed in the past so let's rob Jokic this time?
Is MVP best scorer award?

People here are angry for us arguing for Jokic, but we are simply repeating what some smarter people are saying. Please read this and tell me what is here you don't agree with.

https://www.nba.com/news/kia-mvp-ladder-jan-20-2023-edition
https://www.si.com/nba/2023/01/18/nba-midseason-awards
https://www.theringer.com/nba/2023/1/16/23556482/nba-awards-nikola-jokic-mvp
https://bleacherreport.com/articles/10059819-nba-mvp-rankings-nikola-jokic-is-flirting-with-nba-history

[sam_I_am]

And news flash again…

Bird/Russell/Wilt don’t even make it out of the first round either if they play alongside Rivers/Barton/Morris/AG. These guys had some ATG teammates and it gets swept under the rug in these conversations.

This season is a greater test for Jokic as he finally has a competent team. It isn’t about making excuses for him. He’s done as much as he can with what he has had. What more can you ask from a player?

People expecting this guy to build a log cabin when his building supplies have been popsicle sticks and toothpicks

You should look at 1980 Celtics roster which won 60 games and lost to 76ers in ECF. Bird as a rookie took the team with the worst record and turned it into the team with the best record. The other ‘ATG’s came later. Russell won 11 titles in 13 years, lost in finals once. A first round knockout was never happening, but that was a different era.

Lebron won with Kevin Love and Kyrie. Denver has Green, Porter, Murray, and Gordon - all lottery picks. Yes, Jokic is head and shoulders above the rest of teammates the way Giannis is in Milwaukee and yes the roster last year was weak…… and drawing the Warriors was bad luck. That said….3 MVP in a row players never needed so many excuses for losing before because they got the job done. Magic lost Kareem and still won his title playing Center.

[sam_I_am]

Again I don't care much about this MVP staff, much more about Nuggets winning it all, but I already ask what if he wins this year? So you would give this MVP to someone else, much less deserving simple by the fact Jokic didn't win championship in the past? And this is the first time he really have a team to do it. How would it look if voters decide not to give him award because he didn't win chip, and give it to someone less deserving, but Jokic wins it all this year?

BTW Jokic led his team to WCF two years ago coming back from 1-3 down twice, hit series winning shot against Jazz, beat favorites LA Clipps in the 2nd round. He was 25 at the time, Murray was 23.. little young. I know Moses made one more step, but didn't won a chip as you said.

Anyway, please answer, who in the history of the game leads Monte Morris/Will Barton/Jeff Green/AG/ or Campazzo/Austin Rivers/MPJ/AG/ to championship?

Steph Curry was obviously last year’s MVP and best player but his teammates got injured and his team fell off a cliff for half the season after amazing start. Better players than Jokic have been robbed of the award many times before. Kobe has 1 MVP for example. Jokic is a great player but he’s only averaging 25 ppg and there are other players equally deserving like Luka, Embiid, Tatum. Durant looks deserving when you look at the Nets team without him. I think he already has been overly rewarded for his track record as it is.

You want to say Curry should have won last year instead of Jokic? Some players got robbed in the past so let's rob Jokic this time?
Is MVP best scorer award?

People here are angry for us arguing for Jokic, but we are simply repeating what some smarter people are saying. Please read this and tell me what is here you don't agree with.

https://www.nba.com/news/kia-mvp-ladder-jan-20-2023-edition
https://www.si.com/nba/2023/01/18/nba-midseason-awards
https://www.theringer.com/nba/2023/1/16/23556482/nba-awards-nikola-jokic-mvp
https://bleacherreport.com/articles/10059819-nba-mvp-rankings-nikola-jokic-is-flirting-with-nba-history

I don’t think it’s robbing Jokic to give it to another deserving player and there definitely are other equally deserving players. No, it isn’t highest scoring award but defense matters too. Some of Jokic’s great stats - like Doncic - are helped by having no other first team NBA player and by his uniqueness as a playmaking center but playing him there comes at a cost as the center is so important to having a great team defense. This is the main reason Denver never wins when it counts in my opinion…..not the Will Bartons etc.

Anyway, Jokic is a deserving candidate this year - I don’t deny it. I don’t want him to get it because …. Looking back over history of NBA he hasn’t been dominant enough or enough of a winner relative to players that have won 3 in a row and even 4-5 players who didn’t. If the NBA MVP had always been a pure trophy always given to most deserving…..fine….give it to him anyway. But it never was before - if it was Lebron would have won 8 in a row. So it wouldn’t be unfair if someone like Luka got it instead.

[nikster]

In the history of NBA MVP, no 3 time MVP has failed to win a title during their MVP seasons. In fact, the only multi-MVP not to win titles or at least appear in finals during their MVP runs are Jokic and Nash. Karl Malone won 2 MVPs and lost to Bulls in finals one of those seasons. Bob Petit won 2 MVPs and won his ring the year before his second MVP. Jokic’s first round exit last year is the 4th time in NBA history that has happened to an MVP. Russell Westbrook once and Moses Malone twice in Houston were the only others. Moses won MVP year after losing to Celtics in finals (carrying a team with no other notable players past the great 80s Lakers) and again in his title year in Philly.

Jokic appears on track to win his 3rd MVP - statistically. If he does so and has another flameout in playoffs I wonder if NBA will change selection process again. How can a guy be so dominant as to get selected MVP 3 straight years and fail to even get past second round during that time? Say what you want about Luka but he carried a very weak team to WCF last year on his back.

This! More people are going to bring this up as we get closer to the end of the season. Hoping common sense will prevail and a historically colossal **** up doesn't occur.

So youre saying playoffs should be a factor in the voting? Should we eliminate Embiid from the discussion then? Or does playoffs only matter because its his 3rd MVP?

[Mickey8]

Knuckleheads are bringing up Jokic's exits out of the play off's , even though he led crippled teams to the play off's, nobody expected them to do anything there. This is the regular season award nothing to do with the play off's, where he performed well by the way.

[Bob8]

In the history of NBA MVP, no 3 time MVP has failed to win a title during their MVP seasons. In fact, the only multi-MVP not to win titles or at least appear in finals during their MVP runs are Jokic and Nash. Karl Malone won 2 MVPs and lost to Bulls in finals one of those seasons. Bob Petit won 2 MVPs and won his ring the year before his second MVP. Jokic’s first round exit last year is the 4th time in NBA history that has happened to an MVP. Russell Westbrook once and Moses Malone twice in Houston were the only others. Moses won MVP year after losing to Celtics in finals (carrying a team with no other notable players past the great 80s Lakers) and again in his title year in Philly.

Jokic appears on track to win his 3rd MVP - statistically. If he does so and has another flameout in playoffs I wonder if NBA will change selection process again. How can a guy be so dominant as to get selected MVP 3 straight years and fail to even get past second round during that time? Say what you want about Luka but he carried a very weak team to WCF last year on his back.

Name me a player in history who wins championship with starting lineup of Monte Morris/Will Barton/Jeff Green/AG/?????
The year before it was Campazzo/Austin Rivers/MPJ/AG/Jokic. They beat fully healthy Portland team...and lost in 2nd round after MPJ injured his back.

About Luka, great player no doubt, but last year Mavs had .634 winning pct, NY had .451. You take just one player off of that team add to NY and Dallas is at .532 as NY. Did I forget to mention Dallas also added 18.4/8.4 on 54/39/74 player in Wood.
Dinwiddie led 2019-20 Nets to POs. I would say he is a good player.

Morris and Barton, Campazzo and Rivers are leading their teams to... D

Luka is shooting 49.7% from the filed for the season. And that is good. Jokic had this bad shooting percentage only one time this season (under 50%).
And one more thing I want to ask. Dallas has 7 player who are better 3pt shooters than Doncic. Why is he talking the most 3s per game? Isn't his job as playmaker to set his team for best shots like some of that 7 players shooting 3s instead of him?

I mostly agree with your posts, but you're deadly wrong here. Nobody else can take 3s Luka is taking and should be taken in those last seconds of possession. Josh Green, who has the best %, is hitting mostly only corner 3s. Vast majority of others are hitting only totally open assisted 3s. But if Luka stops taking 3s he's taking, others won't have spacing they have, because Luka would have been guarded differently and there won't be those open 3s anymore.

Comparing FG% between C and a guard is totally wrong too. Or you maybe believe that Powell is better shooter than Luka and Jokic?

Kinda sad that you're using the same tactics as people, who don't like Jokic. Jokic is a great player, no need to talk nonsense about Luka to prove that.

[BelgradeNugget]

Steph Curry was obviously last year’s MVP and best player but his teammates got injured and his team fell off a cliff for half the season after amazing start. Better players than Jokic have been robbed of the award many times before. Kobe has 1 MVP for example. Jokic is a great player but he’s only averaging 25 ppg and there are other players equally deserving like Luka, Embiid, Tatum. Durant looks deserving when you look at the Nets team without him. I think he already has been overly rewarded for his track record as it is.

You want to say Curry should have won last year instead of Jokic? Some players got robbed in the past so let's rob Jokic this time?
Is MVP best scorer award?

People here are angry for us arguing for Jokic, but we are simply repeating what some smarter people are saying. Please read this and tell me what is here you don't agree with.

https://www.nba.com/news/kia-mvp-ladder-jan-20-2023-edition
https://www.si.com/nba/2023/01/18/nba-midseason-awards
https://www.theringer.com/nba/2023/1/16/23556482/nba-awards-nikola-jokic-mvp
https://bleacherreport.com/articles/10059819-nba-mvp-rankings-nikola-jokic-is-flirting-with-nba-history

I don’t think it’s robbing Jokic to give it to another deserving player and there definitely are other equally deserving players. No, it isn’t highest scoring award but defense matters too. Some of Jokic’s great stats - like Doncic - are helped by having no other first team NBA player and by his uniqueness as a playmaking center but playing him there comes at a cost as the center is so important to having a great team defense. This is the main reason Denver never wins when it counts in my opinion…..not the Will Bartons etc.

Anyway, Jokic is a deserving candidate this year - I don’t deny it. I don’t want him to get it because …. Looking back over history of NBA he hasn’t been dominant enough or enough of a winner relative to players that have won 3 in a row and even 4-5 players who didn’t. If the NBA MVP had always been a pure trophy always given to most deserving…..fine….give it to him anyway. But it never was before - if it was Lebron would have won 8 in a row. So it wouldn’t be unfair if someone like Luka got it instead.

So you didn't read any of those articles did you? Because if you did you would find all answers to your questions in them

[sam_I_am]

In the history of NBA MVP, no 3 time MVP has failed to win a title during their MVP seasons. In fact, the only multi-MVP not to win titles or at least appear in finals during their MVP runs are Jokic and Nash. Karl Malone won 2 MVPs and lost to Bulls in finals one of those seasons. Bob Petit won 2 MVPs and won his ring the year before his second MVP. Jokic’s first round exit last year is the 4th time in NBA history that has happened to an MVP. Russell Westbrook once and Moses Malone twice in Houston were the only others. Moses won MVP year after losing to Celtics in finals (carrying a team with no other notable players past the great 80s Lakers) and again in his title year in Philly.

Jokic appears on track to win his 3rd MVP - statistically. If he does so and has another flameout in playoffs I wonder if NBA will change selection process again. How can a guy be so dominant as to get selected MVP 3 straight years and fail to even get past second round during that time? Say what you want about Luka but he carried a very weak team to WCF last year on his back.

This! More people are going to bring this up as we get closer to the end of the season. Hoping common sense will prevail and a historically colossal **** up doesn't occur.

So youre saying playoffs should be a factor in the voting? Should we eliminate Embiid from the discussion then? Or does playoffs only matter because its his 3rd MVP?

There is a pattern and a tradition that’s been established. Giving a player a third straight MVP historically has suggested a level of dominance that Jokic frankly has not achieved. If you are going to single out a player in such a unique way, it should be consistent with the history of the award. That is all I am saying. Jokic does not stand out of a very deep crowd of incredible players as the single most dominant player in this era. There are others equally deserving - especially Luka this year.