Over the years, a close bond has been built between Coach Michael Malone (left) and star Nikola Jokic.
Decisions await the Denver Nuggets as the regular season winds down and we head into next week’s State Farm NBA Play-In Tournament.
While Nuggets coach Michael Malone opts for a more cautious approach, Nikola Jokic is eager to play.
“Nikola and I have been together for six years,” Malone explained Tuesday after Denver’s 117-112 win against Charlotte that clinched the Nuggets home-court advantage for the first round of the playoffs. “We have a tremendous relationship: coach-player, friend, whatever you want to call it. So, we’ve been having an ongoing discussion about potentially reducing minutes, potentially sitting out games.
We’ll certainly keep assessing the situation. I have enormous respect for Nikola and admire his immense dedication to playing every night. However, we also need to make intelligent decisions, not only for Nikola’s sake, but for the welfare of our team. We’ve already dealt with numerous injuries and we can’t afford for our MVP, undisputedly Nikola, to sustain any injuries as we approach the postseason.
On Thursday, Nikola Jokic ruled the game against the Timberwolves, scoring 31 points and securing 14 rebounds in a victorious match.
Monte Morris missed 12 games due to a right hamstring injury, while Will Barton (right hamstring), and P.J. Dozier (right adductor) continue to nurse nagging injuries in the wake of the Nuggets losing Jamal Murray for the season with a torn left ACL.
Jokic hasn’t missed a game all season. He played 32 minutes Thursday in Denver’s 114-103 win over Minnesota, cobbling together 31 points and 14 rebounds to lead the Nuggets past the Timberwolves. So, sitting out tonight’s game at Detroit (8 ET, NBA League Pass) and the season-finale Sunday at Portland (9 ET, NBA League Pass) shouldn’t adversely affect the center’s chances of becoming the first Denver Nugget to win the Kia MVP award.
Nonetheless, Jokic’s determination to continue playing basketball remains undiminished.
“My aim is to participate in every game, provided I remain in good health,” Jokic stated. “Everyone is sharing their thoughts with me about it. Therefore, I’ll consider it. My ultimate goal and aspiration is to play in every game.”
Having racked up a 30-point double-double Tuesday at Charlotte, Jokic maintains his tight grip on the No. 1 spot atop the Kia Race to the MVP Ladder with slim prospects of another competitor in the field overtaking him this weekend (when the regular season comes to a close).
Jokic expressed, “I can confidently say that this is likely the best season I’ve ever had. Our team has been performing well all season. We’ve had our highs and lows, but overall, we’re moving in the right direction. Whatever happens, happens.”
And now, the Top 5 this week in the 2020-21 Kia Race to the MVP Ladder:
1. Nikola Jokic, Denver Nuggets
Last week’s ranking: No. 1
Season stats: 26.5 ppg, 10.9 rpg, 8.4 apg, 1.3 spg
Nikola Jokic scores 30 points and secures 11 rebounds, achieving a double-double against the Hornets.
Interestingly, the Nuggets are the only team in the league that has secured home-court advantage for the playoffs in each of the last three seasons, a feat largely attributed to Jokic’s performance. With Jokic at the helm, the Nuggets have a 12-5 record since Murray’s season-ending knee injury in April. As the season draws to a close with only two games left, Jokic only needs one more triple-double to equal Fat Lever’s record for the most in a single season (16) in the history of the Nuggets franchise. Jokic also holds the number one spot in league history for the most games (88) with 10 or more assists as a center.
2. Joel Embiid, Philadelphia 76ers
Last week’s ranking: No. 2
Season stats: 28.8 ppg, 10.6 rpg, 1.4 bpg
Joel Embiid is confident that the Sixers have the right composition and ability to pursue the title.
Absolutely dominant when healthy, Embiid might’ve owned a realistic shot at overtaking Jokic if not for all the games he’s missed. Embiid had missed 20 games going into Thursday’s loss at Miami, putting him in peril of falling below the 70% threshold of games played to qualify for a spot in the NBA’s statistical rankings. Embiid continues to play with confidence, and he’s made it clear he believes the 76ers possess the necessary ingredients to seriously compete for a championship. “We’ve got everything we need to make that run,” Embiid said. We’ll soon see once the postseason gets underway on May 22.
3. Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks
Last week’s ranking: No. 3
Season stats: 28.4 ppg, 11.0 rpg, 5.9 apg
In the Bucks’ victory over the Pacers on Thursday night, Giannis Antetokounmpo dominated.
The reigning two-time Kia MVP, Antetokounmpo put together his 20th game this season with at least 25 points, 10 rebounds and five assists — which ranks second in the NBA — in a 114-102 win on Tuesday against the Orlando Magic. Antetokounmpo and Jokic are the only players this season averaging at least 25 points, 10 rebounds and five assists. That puts Antetokounmpo on track to register his third straight season with such numbers — a feat only accomplished by Hall of Famer Oscar Robertson. Antetokounmpo dropped 40 points and 15 rebounds in Thursday’s win over the Indiana Pacers.
4. Luka Doncic, Dallas Mavericks
Last week’s ranking: No. 5
Season stats: 28.0 ppg, 8.0 rpg, 8.6 apg
As the playoffs approach, the Mavericks are feeling more cohesive than ever, relying more on Kia MVP contender Luka Doncic.
Dropped 33 points in a win over New Orleans on Wednesday that ended the Pelicans’ shot at reaching the State Farm Play-In Tournament. The Mavericks have won eight of their last 10 games with Kristaps Porzingis missing seven of the last eight, and that’s largely due to Doncic, who currently ranks No. 3 in the league in 25-point games this season (45). Doncic leads the NBA in 30-point, five-rebound, five-assist games this season (22), and he’s put together the most 30-5-5 performances over the past two seasons. The Mavericks are 12-3 this season when Doncic scores 30 points to go with at least eight rebounds and eight assists.
5. Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors
Last week’s ranking: No. 7
Season stats: 31.8 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 5.7 apg, 1.2 spg
Fasten your seatbelts and observe Stephen Curry’s incredible performance.
Wouldn’t it be interesting to see a showdown between Curry and LeBron James in the State Farm Play-In Tournament? Although it’s not certain, it’s a possibility worth considering. As of Friday, Curry is only 31 points shy of scoring 2,000 points this season, a milestone he’s previously achieved once in his career. This accomplishment would put him in the elite club of Warriors players, including Wilt Chamberlain, Rick Barry, and Chris Mullin, who have all had multiple seasons with 2,000 points. Additionally, Curry has surpassed 300 3-pointers for the fourth time in his career, a feat only matched by James Harden.
Got thoughts on the Kia MVP chase? Hit me up via e-mail or send me a tweet!
The Next Five:
6. Damian Lillard, Portland Trail Blazers
7. Chris Paul, Phoenix Suns
8. Rudy Gobert, Utah Jazz
9. Julius Randle, New York Knicks
10. Devin Booker, Phoenix Suns
And five more: Kawhi Leonard, LA Clippers; Russell Westbrook, Washington Wizards; James Harden, Brooklyn Nets; Trae Young, Atlanta Hawks; Kyrie Irving, Brooklyn Nets.
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Michael C. Wright is a senior writer for NBA.com. You can e-mail him here, find his archive here and follow him on Twitter.
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