While most NBA fans look forward to Tuesday evening’s announcement of the 2022/23 Most Valuable Player, Nuggets star and MVP finalist Nikola Jokic claims he’s not exactly waiting on that news with bated breath. As Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN writes, Following a huge Game 2 on Monday (39 points, 16 rebounds), Jokic said that, weather permitting, he’d like to be “in the swimming pool” when the NBA reveals this season’s MVP.
“I don’t really think about it,” Jokic said. “Like zero interest.”
Jokic has certainly had the most impressive postseason of the three finalists, given that Joel Embiid has missed two of five Sixers games due to a knee injury and Giannis Antetokounmpo‘s Bucks were upset by the eighth-seeded Heat in round one.
Of course, MVP voting was completed before the playoffs began, but teammate Jamal Murray and head coach Michael Malone pointed to Jokic’s Game 2 performance as a perfect example of why he has won two MVP awards and deserves a third. According to Youngmisuk, Malone said on Monday that if Jokic doesn’t win this year’s award, he intends to tell the star center that he’s “he’s the MVP in my eyes.”
Here’s more from around the Northwest:
- Kentavious Caldwell-Pope‘s big night on Monday (41 minutes played, 4-of-4 on three-pointers) served as reminders of why the Nuggets wanted him so badly last summer and how instrumental he has been to the team’s success this season, writes Mike Singer of The Denver Post (subscription required). “KCP does everything for us,” Denver guard Bruce Brown said. “Me and him kind of in the same role. … He’s the only champion in here, so I learn as much as I can from him.”
- The Jazz‘s coaching staff is said to be undergoing offseason changes, and former Spurs assistant Ettore Messina – who worked alongside Will Hardy in San Antonio from 2015-19 and is now a head coach in Italy – was recently identified by Sportando as a possible target. Asked by Eric Walden of The Salt Lake Tribune about the rumor, Messina neither confirmed nor outright denied it. “Eric, I do not have much for you,” he told Walden in a text message. “I am enjoying what I’m doing with (Olimpia) Milano.”
- Should the Timberwolves seriously consider the idea of trading Karl-Anthony Towns this offseason? Chris Hine of The Star Tribune explores that question in detail, discussing why it might make sense while also presenting the arguments against such a deal.
Embiid all the way. Sixers winning last night doesn’t negate Embiids regular season importance to the teams success. I am for at least this year saying screw the analytics. Eye test says Embiid.
We can go to analytics all we want, and somehow LBJ was the best basketball player in the league every year but not the MVP? Because they didn’t want to have him surpass MJ.
Look if you’re factoring legacy into these awards, which secretly the voters do… Jokic 3 ties him w Moses, Magic, and Bird.
At a certain point you call it stat padding, not dominating. Because he gets dominated by other centers.
Jokic is about as consistent as you can get in the NBA. Embiid is consistent when he’s healthy. It’s hard to argue against both teams’ success this year. It then has to come down to stats.
Jokic provides more of everything else, not just points. So, as a non-fan of either, I would have to go with Jokic. He’s a triple-double machine! Although, if Embiid finally won then I don’t think it’s crazy.
As for the Jazz, do they want veteran assistant coaches or guys around the same age as Coach Hardy?
For example, Jerry Sloan and his first assistant Phil Johnson started coaching around the same time. They retired the same year. They were an incredibly successful coaching staff during their run together. I would think that would be the model, right?
Then you have Coach Pop. His assistants were always getting poached by other teams. Although, was that happening during their championship runs? Seems like it happened more after Tim Duncan retired or in his slower years at the end onward, right?
You could also look at what Phil Jackson did with his assistants. Winters was his triangle offense guru. Then he had other guys, but I don’t remember what they did. I think Rambis was on his staff in LA, at some point. Anyone a Bulls or Laker fan and remembers?
Jokic is everybody’s MVP! As simple as!
Just the press and some sooo called fans have been trying to create a narrative where Embiid should win it!
Jokic MVP
Wow after watching the joker a few dozen times now does he ever get consistently double teamed,triple teamed,quadruple teamed ?? I think not. Where is his defense? Jojo mvp ty.
What good would come from double-teaming a seven footer who can pass like a premier PG?
For starters, how many teams can throw guys big enough against him so that he doesn’t just pass over them?
Then ask how many teams even have more than one seven footer these days?
The NBA went small for years then guys like Jokic, Embiid, and Giannis started dominating and we’re back to teams looking for seven footers again.
Reasonably close race, but Jokic.
This is what I’m guessing the media thought as well. Voting will likely be very close in total points.