Nikola Jokic almost certainly won’t win MVP. But he made sure the voters will have to consider him. By playing in Sunday’s Denver Nuggets season finale at the San Antonio Spurs the three-time MVP has qualified for postseason awards this spring despite a bone bruise to his left knee — the most significant injury of his career — that cost him a month and put his awards eligibility in doubt.
Jokic sat out Friday’s game with the same wrist issue that has bothered him much of this decade. It was his first absence since returning in January from the bone bruise to his knee that cost him a month of play.
Jokic only needed to play 15 minutes on Sunday to qualify for awards with the NBA’s relatively new 65-Game Rule. Big Honey did just that, playing 18 minutes, all in the frist half surrounded by Denver’s deep reserves. Joker’s 23 points and eight rebounds in a strong first half effort. The game wasn’t just about Jokic’s trophy case though, as it determined seeding in the West. Denver was up 14 when he checked out for the final time this season.
The 65-Game Rule has come under fire this year. Implemented as part of the 2023 collective bargaining agreement to combat load management, it gained urgency after Joel Embiid won the 2023 MVP despite playing just 66 games — players must appear in at least 65 games, and log 20 or more minutes in at least 63 of those, to be eligible for MVP, All-NBA, Defensive Player of the Year and Most Improved Player. LeBron James, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Stephen Curry, Cade Cunningham, Luka Doncic, Devin Booker and Anthony Edwards are all ineligible to win anything this season.
Despite locking Jokic locking in his crown as the first person in nearly 80 years of NBA history to lead a season in both rebounds and assists, Jokic came into Sunday just third in MVP odds. The story of the reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander leading the reigning champion Thunder to another No. 1 seed is expected to captivate the voters. While young big and Defensive Player of the Year favorite Victor Wembanyama has led the turnaround for the Spurs.
Nikola Jokic’s NBA MVP odds
- Shai Gilgeous-Alexander: -5000
- Victor Wembanyama: +2000
- Nikola Jokic: +4500
Jokic finishes the season averaging a triple-double for a second consecutive season, neither effort appears to be good enough to earn an historic fourth MVP.
Jokic ends the season with 27.7 points, 12.8 rebounds and 10.7 assists on 56.9% shooting and 38% 3-point shooting.
Jokic is expected to get on the NBA’s First Team, his sixth time doing that and eighth time being on a season-ending team. Both would extend his own franchise records. Most believe Jamal Murray will join Jokic as an All-NBA player. Murray sat out the last two games since he had already reached the threshold.
