Denver Nuggets star Nikola Jokic (TV), here guarded by Minnesota Timberwolves’ Naz Reid, has received the NBA’s MVP award for the third time in four years. Photo: David Zalubowski / AP / NTB
Of NTB | 05/09/2024 05:54:02
Sport: The 29-year-old Serbian won by a good margin. He received 79 first-place votes and a total of 926 points, far ahead of Oklahoma City Thunder’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander at 640 points and Dallas Mavericks’ Luka Doncic at 556 points.
It is the journalists and writers who cover the NBA who vote for the award. Jokic recorded 26.4 points, 12.4 rebounds and 9 assists in 79 games this season. He had 25 triple-doubles, beaten only by Sacramento Kings center Domantas Sabonis’ 26.
Jokic is considered one of the best offensive centers of all time, and is particularly known for his spectacular passes.
He finished second last year to the Philadelphia 76ers’ Joel Embiid after winning the award the previous two seasons.
The Nuggets won the NBA last year, but they have come off poorly in the Western Conference semifinals, trailing the Minnesota Timberwolves 2-0 after playing two home games.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar has the most MVP honors with six, followed by Michael Jordan and Bill Russell with five. Wilt Chamberlain and LeBron James have four each, and Jokic’s third is tied with Magic Johnson and Moses Malone.
(© NTB)