The heaviest regular season individual award in the 21-22 season has finally settled, Jokic pressed the alphabet brother and Embiid, elected the regular season MVP, he became the third international player to win the regular season MVP after Nash and the alphabet brother, and the 13th player in NBA history to win the regular season MVP.
However, Jokic's winning the MVP has received some doubts.
Alphabet brother and Embiid, who are also the MVP candidates for this season's regular season, are still fighting in the playoffs, while Jokic's Nuggets were eliminated by the Warriors in the first round of the playoffs. Some people questioned Jokic's ability to lead the team, bluntly saying: "Which MVP do you see out of the first round?" ”
Some people questioned the Nuggets' poor regular season record, bluntly saying: "The most water mvp, the sixth in the West was elected, huh." ”
Some people have complained for Embiid, arguing that Embiid is more eligible for regular season MVP honors than Jokic.
Objectively speaking, if in a certain season, a player's performance is not significantly superior to others, he won the regular season MVP, it is bound to suffer some doubts, after all, "turnip cabbage has its own love", and there are many dimensions of judging players, and people with different opinions can always find arguments to support themselves.
However, in terms of the performance of the regular season this season, although the performance of Embiid and Alphabet Brother is very good, Jokic's regular season MVP is also deserved, and the Nuggets' poor regular season record and the first round of the playoffs are not questioning Jokic's reasons for winning the regular season MVP.
In terms of regular season records, the Nuggets achieved a record of 48 wins and 34 losses, ranking 6th in the West, and the Suns in the league no. 1 by as many as 16 wins (the regular season team record is outstanding, which is why many people are upset that Booker failed to become a regular season MVP candidate, but in terms of personal performance and data, Booker is obviously at a disadvantage compared with the three regular season MVP candidates). The other two regular season MVP candidates, Alphabet Brother and Embiid, have the same record, both 51 wins and 31 losses, three more wins than the Nuggets.
But it must be said that throughout the 21-22 regular season, Murray was reimbursed for injury season. Murray is the nuggets' outside core, averaging 21.2 points, 4 rebounds and 4.8 assists per game in the 20-21 season, and has scored 50+ in two playoff series games with the Jazz, and his season reimbursement has a great impact on the Nuggets. In addition, in September 2021, the Nuggets renewed their contract with a five-year, $207 million maximum salary, And michael Porter Jr., who played only 9 games in the regular season this season, and on December 2 last year, nuggets official Announced porter's indefinite absence and has not played since.
It can be said that in the past season, the Nuggets have not only lost an outside core averaging 20+4+4 per game, but also a top-paid player, and the impact on the competitiveness of the team is self-evident. Even in such a situation, Jokic took up the team and led the team to 6th in the West in the regular season, which is really valuable. The team with Embiid and Alphabet Brother is only 3 wins away.
In the playoffs, although the first round of the playoffs of the regular season MVP's team is more embarrassing, the lack of two important players makes the Nuggets face the Warriors with a neat lineup, and they are indeed at a disadvantage. In terms of individual performance, Jokic playoffs against the Warriors in 5 games, averaging 31 points, 13.2 rebounds, 5.8 assists, 1.6 steals and 1 block per game, 5 statistics in addition to assists, are career playoff bests, 57.5% shooting rate is also a career best. The Nuggets were out in the first round, but Jokic's performance was not lost to anyone, nor did he live up to the MVP name.
In terms of individual regular season performance, Jokic and Alphabet Brother and Embiid also have their own strengths.
Regular Season Personal Data:
Embiid had 30.6 points, 11.7 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.1 steals and 1.5 blocks, shooting 49.9% and 37.1% from the field and three-point range.
Alphabet Brother 29.9 points, 11.6 rebounds, 5.8 assists, 1.1 steals, 1.3 blocks, shooting and three-point shooting rate of 55.%, 29.3%.
Jokic 27.1 points, 13.8 rebounds, 7.9 assists, 1.5 steals, 0.9 blocks, shooting and three-point shooting 58.3%, 33.7%.
Of the three, Jokic scored the least number of points and blocks, but rebounded, assisted and steals were the highest, especially in assists, which were significantly higher than the other two. Shooting percentage is also the highest. In addition, Jokic's match contribution value is the first in the league, and the number of double-doubles and triple-doubles is also the most in the league.
From a personal performance point of view, Jokic is not inferior to Alphabet Brother and Embiid.
On the whole, Jokic's regular season MVP this season is also well deserved, rather than questioning it, it is better to congratulate. As for Alphabet Brother and Embiid, who failed to win the regular season MVP, then wish them good luck in the playoffs.