Stats don’t lie
Jokić led the Nuggets, tied for the fifth-best winning percentage in the NBA at .653, in almost every major statistical category: Points (26.4), rebounds (10.8), assists (8.3), steals (1.3), field goal percentage (56.7), player efficiency rating (31.34). His points per game and assists per game were new career highs, with the center raising his scoring by almost seven points this season and his dimes by 1.3. He also tied his personal best on boards.
He was also an advanced metrics favorite. He was second by just 0.2 to Joel Embiid in Player Impact Estimate, finishing the season at 20.1. He was also second to Kawhi Leonard in offensive rating at 120.2. He had the fifth-highest assist percentage at 37.7. His PER of 31.3 was the highest in the NBA. According to Basketball-Reference, his value over replacement player was almost three points higher than the second-placed player in Stephen Curry at 8.6 vs. 5.5. Jokić also led the league in box plus/pinus (11.7), offensive box plus/minus at 9.2. Finally, Jokić was the NBA’s top-ranked player in win shares at 15.6. The second-placed player was Rudy Gobert at 11.3.
Brooklyn Nets head coach Steve Nash, a two-time MVP, summed it up before his team faced the Nuggets on May 8.
“Clearly, I think Jokic is the MVP this year," Nash said. "He's kind of gone wire-to-wire at this high level. He makes his teammates better and everything go. They lose Jamal Murray and they haven't really skipped a beat. That shows how good he is."
Availability is the best ability
Out of all the MVP favorites, Jokić is the only one who didn’t miss any game time this season. Could anyone imagine where this Nuggets team would be if their leading center missed 10 or 20 games?
Curry, Embiid, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Luka Dončić all missed at least nine games. Embiid missed almost a quarter of the season with 21 games out. While it would be unfair to rule a clear favorite for missed action, especially due to injury, Jokić was arguably the best player out of the group and didn’t miss any games. That again is a credit to the amount of work he put in during a short offseason and after every game.
“Some guys run from adversity. And some guys thrive. I think (Jokic) embraces it,” Malone said. “I think he’s at his best when his back is against the wall and no one is giving us a chance.”
Being more vocal
In years past, Jokić let his game do the taking for him. With a younger roster this season, Jokić became more active in advising players and helping the team’s new players fit in.
That would be a key factor when Murray went down with a season-ending ACL injury in April. Before the star guard’s absence, it wasn’t uncommon to see Jokić yelling from the sideline – especially in close games. Once Murray, another vocal leader, went down, Jokić almost became another coach on the court. His leadership and ability to instill confidence is the reason why players like P.J. Dozier, Vlatko Čančar, and Howard all notched their career-highs in points in a night while starting next to the center.