{"id":57227,"date":"2023-10-24T07:00:35","date_gmt":"2023-10-24T11:00:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/?p=57227"},"modified":"2023-10-23T22:03:49","modified_gmt":"2023-10-24T02:03:49","slug":"top-25-nba-players-2023-24-no-1-nikola-jokic","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2023\/10\/24\/top-25-nba-players-2023-24-no-1-nikola-jokic\/","title":{"rendered":"Top 25 NBA Players 2023-24: No. 1 Nikola Jokic"},"content":{"rendered":"

Closing out our top 25 rankings is the reigning finals MVP, Nikola Jokic<\/a><\/strong>, a player with an absurd all-around impact and proven value at all levels. The former second-round pick has become the league’s best player, a Finals MVP, and a two-time regular season MVP.<\/span><\/p>\n

Top 25 NBA Players 2023-24: No. 1 Nikola Jokic<\/h2>\n

A Historic Offensive Talent\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

Over the past few years, it has become abundantly clear that Jokic is a historically great offensive player. In addition to being a 25-points-per-game scorer, Jokic is a top-notch passer, averaging almost 10 assists a game. Jokic has excellent vision and accuracy. With this elite combination, Denver can run most of their offense through him. As a result, Jokic generates tons of great looks for his teammates, making him one of the most integral and impactful offensive players. Jokic is also an elite and all-time-level rebounder. This gives him an incredible impact that can’t be matched. His elite combination of impact, production, and advanced stats make him stand out.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Season Recap<\/span><\/h3>\n

Jokic was coming off back-to-back MVPs heading into the last season, and he put together another MVP<\/a>-caliber year. This included eye-popping all-around numbers and incredible impact, leading the Nuggets to the number one seed, a spot they held<\/a> since mid-December and winning 53 games. The Nuggets’ culture<\/a> and ball movement jump off the screen when watching them, in large part due to Jokic. As a result, Jokic entered another hotly contested MVP debate against Joel Embiid<\/a> <\/strong>and Giannis Antetokounmpo<\/a><\/strong>. He ultimately lost the race, finishing second to Embiid. But it was clear Jokic and the Nuggets were focused on bigger goals.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The Nuggets matched up against the eighth-seeded Timberwolves in the first round, plowing through them in five games. The Nuggets would face off against the star-studded Suns in the second round. Despite scoring outbursts from Devin Booker<\/a><\/strong> and Kevin Durant<\/a><\/strong> in Games 3 and 4, the Nuggets would close out the Suns in six games. During the series, Jokic put up a dominant 34 PPG, 13 RPG, and 10 APG. Following another brilliant Jokic series, the Nuggets would sweep past the Lakers in the Conference Finals, setting up a surprising<\/a> Finals matchup against the Miami Heat. Jokic averaged an absurd 30 PPG, 14 RPG, and 7 APG during the Finals, leading the Nuggets to a five-game finals victory. Jokic was, of course, named Finals MVP for his incredible efforts. Furthermore, this was the Nuggets’ first-ever NBA title. Ultimately, Jokic\u2019s incredible finals established him as the league\u2019s top player.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n