In the history of the NBA, only Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, and Larry Bird have won three consecutive MVP trophies.
While there are many who have won back-to-back trophies, only those men have done it three years in a row.
But will another athlete be added to that brief list when this year is over?
https://t.co/wWGNmWnCY9’s updated MVP Ladder:
1. Nikola Jokic
2. Luka Doncic
3. Jayson Tatum
4. Giannis Antetokounmpo
5. Joel Embiid
6. Kevin Durant
7. Ja Morant
8. Donovan Mitchell
9. Jaylen Brown
10. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander— NBACentral (@TheNBACentral) January 13, 2023
Based on the latest NBA.com MVP ladder standings, it seems possible.
While certain players like Kevin Durant, Ja Morant, Donovan Mitchell, and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander all have a chance and are fighting hard to rise through the ranks, the man at the top is still Nikola Jokic of the Denver Nuggets.
Jokic is followed by Luka Doncic of the Dallas Mavericks, Jayson Tatum of the Boston Celtics, and Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks.
It’s true that Jokic has won for the last two years and conventional wisdom suggests that he won’t do it again.
But you can’t argue with his numbers, which are remarkable.
He is averaging 24.9 points, 11 rebounds, and 9.7 assists a game on a jaw-dropping 61.8% from the field and 37.5% from the three-point line.
That alone is enough to have him spoken of as an MVP but the fact that his team is also the best in the West helps too.
With a 29-13 record, the Nuggets are now performing as fans have wanted for years.
They are one of the most talked-about teams in the league and Jokic is their most important player.
Doncic, Tatum, and Antetokounmpo are all playing wonderfully too and they have legitimate shots at the big prize.
But people who have written Jokic’s chances off because of his past need to accept that he really could pull off something that few others have.
