The 2021-22 NBA playoffs are underway, and earlier today, the Golden State Warriors played the Denver Nuggets at home and successfully eliminated the latter to advance to the Western Conference semifinals. Well, as the tense playoffs continue to advance, the awards for the regular season MVP this season are about to be revealed. Previously, the NBA officially announced the final candidates for this season's regular season MVP, namely Nicolas Jokic of the Nuggets, Antetokounmpo of the Bucks and Joel Embiid of the 76ers.
As things stand, the likelihood of Nikola Jokic being elected MVP this season is the highest of the three. In the regular season, Jokic led the team to 48 victories, played in 74 games, and averaged 27.1 points, 13.8 rebounds, 7.9 assists and 1.5 steals in the playing time of 33.5 minutes per game, of which the average score per game ranked seventh in the league, the average rebound per game ranked second in the league, and in his average rebounds per game, 11.0 rebounds were backcourt rebounds, which ranked first in the league. In addition, as a center, Jokic can also average 7.9 assists per game, which is the eighth in the league. Shooting 58.3 percent from the field, 33.7 percent from three-point range, 81.0 percent from the free throw line, and 66 double-doubles, the league's top spot.
In addition, in the five games of the playoffs, although the Nuggets were swept 1-4 by the Golden State Warriors gentlemen, Jokic's performance in this series was absolutely impeccable. In five games, he averaged 34.2 minutes per game, averaging 31.0 points, 13.2 rebounds, 5.8 assists, 1.6 steals and 1.0 blocks per game, shooting 57.5% from the field. In five games, Jokic has won two double-doubles in four games, and for the Nuggets, Jokic has become the most important player on their team.
It is no exaggeration to say that Nikola Jokic has grown into the top center in the league. In today's final game against the Warriors, Jokic must be the one who can leave Golden State with his head held high, this game he cut 30 points, 19 rebounds and 8 assists, in the absence of Murray and Porter Jr., Jokic's Nuggets caused a lot of trouble for the Warriors. Despite suffering hamstring injuries, he chose to fight until the last minute.
Although he lost, this sentence is most appropriate for Jokic, who hit this in the absence of Murray and Porter Jr., which is really impressive. In terms of results, although it did not meet expectations, it did not go further in the playoffs. But Jokic and the Nuggets still have a very bright future, next season, Murray and Porter Jr. can come back, if Jokic continues to play MVP-level performances in the game, then the Nuggets will still be a team with a championship competition, looking forward to next season, the Nuggets, who are fully returning, can have better performances in the game.