Nikola Jokic has a strong case for third consecutive MVP

Nikola Jokic of the Denver Nuggets has quickly become one of the best basketball players in the world. He looks modest, but when he gets the ball in his hands, what he produces is truly magical. That production has not gone unnoticed, as Jokic has been recognized as the NBA’s MVP in consecutive seasons.

67 MVP awards have been presented and Jokic is one of only three players to have won the award while playing for a team that failed to record 50 wins in a season; Moses Malone did it twice and Russell Westbrook did it once.

Jokic winning back-to-back awards marks 14th time in NBA history. Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Malone, Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan, Tim Duncan, Steve Nash, LeBron James, Stephen Curry and Giannis Antetokounmpo are the other players to win the award in consecutive years. James accomplished that feat twice.

Could Jokic join an even more prestigious group this season? Only Russell, Chamberlain and Bird have won the award in three consecutive seasons, but it’s something that puts Jokic in a great position to achieve.

LATEST NBA NEWS: Nikola Jokic & Denver Nuggets Updates

In the recent Kia MVP Ladder at NBA.com, Jokic has made a significant advance in the ranking. It’s hard to blame Michael C. Wright for feeling this way as the Serbian big man puts together another impressive season.

“The Joker” recorded his fourth 40-point game and second in his last three appearances as Denver’s five-game winning streak ended Wednesday night in Sacramento in the second game of a back-to-back set. The Nuggets played without Jamal Murray, Bruce Brown, Aaron Gordon and Jeff Green and walked out a 19-point lead that gradually evaporated, resulting in the team’s first defeat when it shot better than 57% off the floor.In 31 starts, Jokic Denver has gone to 21 of his 22 wins led, with 24 double-doubles and seven triple-doubles to tie the Nuggets with the New Orleans Pelicans for first in the West after Thursday’s series of games.

Over the season, Jokic averaged 25.6 points, 10.8 rebounds, 9.5 assists, 1.4 steals and 0.6 blocks per game. If he manages to average a triple-double this season, a strong case could be made that he deserves the award for a third time, despite the voter fatigue that may be on some people’s minds.

LATEST NBA NEWS: Nikola Jokic & Denver Nuggets Updates

In addition to his personal production, the Nuggets win games at a high clip. Denver currently tops the Western Conference with a 24-13 record. Only the Boston Celtics and Brooklyn Nets currently have a higher winning percentage. Putting up eye-popping stats and the team achieving great success is a recipe for another MVP award for The Joker.