{"id":72967,"date":"2024-04-12T10:51:11","date_gmt":"2024-04-12T14:51:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/?p=72967"},"modified":"2024-04-12T10:55:35","modified_gmt":"2024-04-12T14:55:35","slug":"pushback-on-potential-nba-mvp-winner-grows-as-playoffs-loom","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2024\/04\/12\/pushback-on-potential-nba-mvp-winner-grows-as-playoffs-loom\/","title":{"rendered":"Pushback on Potential NBA MVP Winner Grows as Playoffs Loom"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>With two games left to go in the regular season, NBA.com has released their <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nba.com\/news\/kia-mvp-ladder-april-12-2024-edition\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">final NBA MVP ladder<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/j\/jokicni01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Nikola Joki\u0107<\/a> of the Denver Nuggets remains in first place, followed by the Oklahoma City Thunder&#8217;s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/g\/gilgesh01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Shai Gilgeous-Alexander<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/d\/doncilu01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Luka Don\u010di\u0107<\/a> of the Dallas Mavericks.<\/p>\n<p>Joki\u0107 led the Nuggets to their first NBA championship last season and claimed the title of the best player in the world. However, there has been significant pushback on the idea of him winning another MVP.<\/p>\n<p>The NBA MVP winner is typically revealed in early May, although there is no strict deadline for the announcement.<\/p>\n<h3>Joki\u0107 in 2023-24<\/h3>\n<p>Joki\u0107 and Gilgeous-Alexander have been the <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2024\/01\/21\/making-the-midseason-case-for-5-2024-nba-mvp-candidates\/\" target=\"_self\">frontrunners for much of the season<\/a>, but it appears that Denver&#8217;s big man holds the advantage heading into the playoffs.<\/p>\n<p>The Nuggets have been on a tear recently, having won the most games since the All-Star break, with a record of 20-5. Thanks to Wednesday night&#8217;s 116-107 victory over the Timberwolves, Denver is now in sole possession of the first seed in the Western Conference.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/9s1zg9gNvC0?si=s4KsRHplYFoTpZ0N\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>They control their own destiny, with two matchups on the road against the San Antonio Spurs and Memphis Grizzlies.<\/p>\n<p>Joki\u0107 has undoubtedly been the catalyst for Denver&#8217;s dominance, averaging 26.6 points, 12.4 rebounds, and 9.1 assists on the year. If the 29 year-old were to win MVP again this year, it would be mark his third time receiving the prestigious award in four years.<\/p>\n<p>Such an achievement would place him in elite company. Only <a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/j\/johnsma02.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Magic Johnson<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/b\/birdla01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Larry Bird<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/m\/malonmo01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Moses Malone<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/j\/jamesle01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">LeBron James<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/c\/chambwi01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Wilt Chamberlain<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/j\/jordami01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Michael Jordan<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/r\/russebi01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Bill Russell<\/a>, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/a\/abdulka01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Kareem Abdul-Jabaar<\/a> have managed to win three Most Valuable Player awards in four years.<\/p>\n<h3>Pushback on Third Joki\u0107 NBA MVP<\/h3>\n<p>Some, however, have grown tired of Joki\u0107&#8217;s dominance, and have voiced their frustrations should the Serbian superstar claim the coveted award again this year.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/a\/arenagi01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Gilbert Arenas<\/a> played 11 seasons in the NBA, including three All-Star selections during his time with the Washington Wizards. Now a media personality and the host of the &#8220;No Chill with Gilbert Arenas&#8221; podcast, Arenas went as far to call Joki\u0107 &#8220;the worst MVP winner of the last 40 years&#8221;.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">\u201cHe is the worst MVP winner in the last 40 years.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>&#8211; Gilbert Arenas on Nikola Jokic<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/5ltZhN14rn\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">pic.twitter.com\/5ltZhN14rn<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/TheDunkCentral\/status\/1775919461037486572?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">April 4, 2024<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>Globally renowned comedian Kevin Hart also gave his take on the NBA MVP race, during a segment of his &#8220;NBA Unplugged with Kevin Hart&#8221; alternate broadcast of the Dallas Mavericks vs. Miami Heat game.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">Kevin Hart: &#8220;They cannot give [Nikola Jokic] any more MVPs&#8230; It&#8217;s not good for the NBA.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Cedric the Entertainer: &#8220;[Joker] is having a great year, but it doesn&#8217;t feel like that dominant year the way I would say [Shai Gilgeous-Alexander] is.&#8221;<a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/Jmc5aXblqN\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">pic.twitter.com\/Jmc5aXblqN<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/ClutchPoints\/status\/1778225693257506882?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">April 11, 2024<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>ESPN&#8217;s Tim MacMahon also appeared on the &#8220;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.espn.com\/espnradio\/newyork\/podcast\/archive\/_\/id\/3634017\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Brian Windhorst &amp; the Hoop Collective<\/a>&#8221; podcast to report on the comments of an anonymous NBA executive.<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>&#8220;I had somebody with another team who was saying you can&#8217;t, in historical context, you cannot give this guy three MVPs in four years. Basically his take was like, &#8216;That&#8217;s not going to age well.&#8217; And I&#8217;m like, &#8216;First of all, why can&#8217;t you?&#8217; and second of all, I&#8217;m very comfortable with how that&#8217;ll age. The guy is 28 years old, already has a Finals MVP, is as dominant as any player that we&#8217;ve seen in a long, long time. He&#8217;s going to be a top-10 player all time. I&#8217;m more than comfortable with how that will age.&#8221;<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<h3>NBA MVP Not a Concern for Joki\u0107<\/h3>\n<p>The Nuggets franchise player has made it clear that he is not concerned with the award throughout the years, and he reiterated his sentiments following the win against Minnesota on Wednesday.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">Nikola Jokic on the MVP award: &#8220;I think the whole MVP conversation is getting out of control.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;I think I&#8217;m playing good basketball&#8230;I think a couple guys deserve to have the award.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Harrison Wind (@HarrisonWind) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/HarrisonWind\/status\/1778303384166043989?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">April 11, 2024<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>Voter fatigue has often plagued the MVP cases for some of the all-time greats, but despite the reluctancy of some, it appears that Joki\u0107 is destined to win his third MVP.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>With two games left to go in the regular season, NBA.com has released their final NBA MVP ladder. Nikola Joki\u0107 of the Denver Nuggets remains in first place, followed by the Oklahoma City Thunder&#8217;s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Luka Don\u010di\u0107 of the Dallas Mavericks. Joki\u0107 led the Nuggets to their first NBA championship last season and [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4773,"featured_media":72970,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"no","_lmt_disable":"","sfio_featured_image":false,"sfio_embed_code":"","_ef_editorial_meta_date_first-draft-date":"","_ef_editorial_meta_paragraph_assignment":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_needs-photo":"","_ef_editorial_meta_number_word-count":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1608,20,2,62,3],"tags":[1944,1133,564,202,72,1489],"class_list":["post-72967","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-basketball","category-nuggets","category-featured","category-nba","category-news","tag-gilbert-arenas","tag-luka-doncic","tag-nba-mvp","tag-nba-news","tag-nikola-jokic","tag-shai-gilgeous-alexander"],"modified_by":"Adam Echchaibi","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/72967","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4773"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=72967"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/72967\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/72970"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=72967"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=72967"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=72967"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}