NBA: Ranking the top 9 MVP candidates at the All-Star break
By Kyle Crabbe
3. Nikola Jokic, Denver Nuggets
2018-19 Season Stats: 55 Games Played, 20.4 ppg, 10.5 Reb pg, 7.7 Ast pg, 1.4 Stl pg, 0.7 Blk pg, .507 Fg %, .312 3-pt %, .846 FT %
2018-19 Win Shares:
Offensive Win Shares: 5.8 (Ranked 8th)
Defensive Win Shares: 2.7 (Ranked 16th)
Total Win Shares: 8.6 (Ranked 6th)
Nikola Jokic has developed into one of the more unique and special talents the NBA has to offer. In his 4th NBA season and making his 1st All-Star appearance, the Serbian big man, affectionately nicknamed “ Joker”, has become the Denver Nuggets ace card on a nightly basis.
Jokic is a supremely skilled big man that can offer as much to the offensive side of the basketball court as almost any player in the league can bring with his unique package of skills. Jokic is a talented scorer but his calling card is his elite ability to pass the basketball. Jokic is a astounding top 5 in assists and is top 5 in the majority of the NBA’s passing categories.
Jokic has been the main reason why the Nuggets have held the best record in the NBA and the top seed in the Western Conference for much of the NBA’s first half of the season. His MVP campaign hasn’t been spoken up as much as the candidates higher on this list, but make no mistake Jokic is just as worthy for MVP consideration given how well not only he has played but how well he has factored into the Nuggets rising in the tough Western Conference this season.