Despite not really being a brand name, Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic will more than likely finish in the top five of MVP voting. The 24-year-old big man averaged 20.1 points, 10.8 rebounds and an astounding 7.3 assists per game during the regular year.
With his Nuggets tied at one in the conference semifinals against the Portland Trail Blazers, Jokic has now made some postseason company.
Jokic dropped 16 points, 14 boards and seven assists in Wednesday night’s loss. He’s now joined Hall of Famers Wilt Chamberlain and Oscar Robertson in putting up at least 200 points, 100 rebounds and 75 assists in his team’s first nine playoff games.
No Michael Jordan. No LeBron James. No Magic Johnson. Just Jokic and two of he greatest players in Association history.
Through those first nine games, the young center is averaging 23.9 points, 12.0 rebounds and 8.6 assists per game. That just absurd.
Denver has needed all of it. The team just got past San Antonio in a seven-game first-round series and is currently tied at one in the conference semifinals against Portland.