Nuggets' Nikola Jokic Endorses Mavs' Luka Doncic for NBA MVP Award
DALLAS — Dallas Mavericks superstar Luka Doncic remains among the short list of MVP candidates as the regular season nears its end. Right now, the favorite to win the award is Nikola Jokic of the Denver Nuggets, but he endorsed Doncic.
"I think he deserves the MVP, 100 percent," Jokic said of Doncic. "But it's not my decision, to be honest."
Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports
Doncic made a strong case against the Nuggets, achieving a 107-105 victory on Sunday. He recorded a double-double with 37 points and ten rebounds while leading the Mavs to a 107-105 win over the reigning NBA champions, helped by a game-winning shot from Kyrie Irving at the buzzer.
“I think it’s a really big win. You know going against the Nuggets, they were champions last year," Doncic said. "They have an amazing team, they have the MVP, it’s tough to play against them. So, it’s really good for us.”
While NBA.com's MVP ladder is just one writer's opinion, it tends to serve as a solid indication of where the race currently stands. Before this week's NBA action began, Doncic was moved up to fourth place ahead of Boston Celtics' Jayson Tatum but still trailed Jokic, Oklahoma City Thunder's Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and Milwaukee Bucks' Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Doncic has continued to produce historic numbers for the Mavs, averaging 34.4 points, 9.7 assists, and 9.0 rebounds in 37.4 minutes per game. The team has gone 36-23 in his 59 appearances — a pace of 50 wins. Meanwhile, Dallas has gone 3-6 in nine games he's missed, including a 3-3 record when Irving plays in those situations. Doncic led the Mavs to an 11-8 record in 19 games without Irving.
With a 39-29 record, Dallas ranks seventh in the West. The team's realistic goal is to finish in the top six to avoid the play-in tournament. The Mavs' lower positioning is holding back Doncic's MVP candidacy compared to teams led by other candidates.
There aren't many games remaining for Doncic to guide the Mavs to a significant rise in the Western Conference standings.
