Halfway through the season, it’s safe to say that this is the best statistical season for Nikola Jokić. And he has already won three MVP awards. Most probably, the Nuggets big man could get it this time too. Amid his hot form, there are two contradicting views surfaced in the NBA world. One view stood with the popular opinion, praising the Serbian. Recently, NBA legend Kevin Garnett joined the bandwagon with bold praise. On the other hand, another view surprisingly questioned Jokic’s stellar performance.
Before we head into the unpopular stance, let’s ride with the bandwagon for the moment. The Joker, as usual, has been loading the stat sheet with numbers for fun. This season wasn’t any different. In fact, the superstar seemed to have reached his prime. I am not saying it for the sake of it. See it for yourself: Jokic has managed to make it to the top-3 in four categories. Third in points, Third in rebounds, second in assists, fourth in steals, and second in 3pt FG.
Undoubtedly, Nikola Jokić‘s touch is turning everything into gold. Guess what? Kevin Garnett listened to the exact stats and he couldn’t resist himself from comparing him to Wilt Chamberlain. Featuring in the latest episode of KG Certifed alongside Paul Pierce, he said, “He Wilt n—a. Joker’s Wilt. Joker is doing Wilt-like shit bro.” KG further went on to express his disbelief in Jokic’s ability to dismantle rigid basketball stereotypes. “No athleticism really. Slow rolling going at his own pace. Like bro, it’s not a miracle, but when you watch it, it’s efficient, it’s prolific, he’s like a constant.”
Kevin Garnett: “Joker is Wilt.”
(via @kg_certified) pic.twitter.com/MWmhCTRif6
— DNVR Nuggets (@DNVR_Nuggets) January 27, 2025
Some might argue the comparison with the Lakers legend Wilt Chamberlain comparison, but Jokic has an answer for it too. In the last game against the Kings, he recorded 35 points, 22 rebounds and 17 assists. The only player to record such a stat line (35+ pts, 20+ rbs, 15+asts) was Wilt and it was 57 years ago. So, KG knew what he was talking about. Okay, now heading to the unpopular opinion.
Is Nikola Jokić really putting up an MVP-level performance?
Well, if you ask me, the answer is a big yes. But let’s hear what the former NBA star, Lou Williams, had to say. According to Lou, the Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has the perfect mix of stat line domination and contribution to victory compared to Nikola Jokić. And, that’s why he picked SGA over the stat monster.
Featuring in the latest episode of Run It Back, Williams said, “Is he (Joker) doing this out of necessity? Does he have to put up the type of numbers for them to win? I think that’s the difference between he and SGA.” The former star felt Jokic’s humongous wasn’t really needed. It sounded as if the Nuggets could still be without Jokic’s big daddy triple-doubles.
However, it doesn’t make sense, as the Nuggets offensive drops significantly when Jokic is not on the court. The rating is 121.0 when he is on the court and 110.7 when he is not. So, Jokic’s numbers and presence are indeed making the difference. So, what do you make of the comparison? Let us know in the comments.
The post “Not A Miracle”: Nikola Jokic Gains A Spot Next To Lakers Legend As Baffling Take On MVP Race Surfaces Online appeared first on EssentiallySports.
