By Antonis Stroggylakis / info@eurohoops.net
When FOX Sports pundit Nick Wright said that Nikola Jokic would be “the worst MVP in 35 years,” despite the historical season that the Denver Nuggets center is having, a couple of players came into the Joker’s defense. One of them was Chicago Bulls big man Nikola Vucevic.
“They really let anyone talk on TV nowadays,” Vucevic tweeted while adding a facepalm emoji to his comment. He didn’t say that just because Jokic is his friend, the Balkan heritage they share or driven by any “solidarity among Nikolas.” He just truly considers the Nuggets center as the undisputed MVP of the 2021 NBA season.
“Jokic is the MVP,” Vucevic said in an interview with Mozzart Sport. “No matter from which angle you analyze it, whether it’s statistical or otherwise. Perhaps the race for the MVP award would’ve been more uncertain if LeBron James or Joel Embiid hadn’t been injured, because they were also great But we cannot speak hypothetically. I’m not saying this just because I’m friend with Nikola, but it’s really like that.”
Jokic has been having a phenomenal run and an immense offensive impact, averaging 26.5 points, 10.9 rebounds and 8.4 assists for a league-high 31.41 PIR. His Nuggets are tied with the Brooklyn Nets for the fourth-best record in the NBA.
“He plays masterfully,” Vucevic said. “Look how much he did for Denver. When everyone thought that the team would fall after Jamal Murray’s injury, Jokic carried a huge burden and kept the team at the top. So there’s no doubt who the MVP is.”