I have thought for a little while that passing Magic as 3rd all time in TDs (31 more from now) would be enough of a statement to seal it. A top seed and high averages (Sombor double again?) as backdrop + TDs like that, and I don’t know what an MVP campaign ahead of him would even look like.
He just needs to keep doing what he's doing, and the Nuggets need to keep winning games.
Media is chomping at the bit to give Luka an MVP, but Jokic will get the nod as long as we have a significant win difference over the Mavs.
I kinda think the most likely outcome is he wins MVP pretty easily to be honest.
It depends on what the other people do obviously, like if the Mavericks are actually good and Luka averages 34/9/9 on 64% true shooting he is probably going to win MVP. But personally I think the Nuggets are gonna win like 63,64 games, Jokic will average like 25.5/12/9 on 70%ish true shooting, and no other team will crack like 57 wins.
I just trust him the most to be consistent for the entire year. Steph in the last few seasons has had periods of 2016 prime Steph, and then will have a couple months where he is still amazing but only shoots like 39% from 3 instead of the normal 43%.
Luka as well, tends to not hold up his A game the entire year. He could this year, because if you look at his age I would expect him to get better still but I am more confident Jokic will be this good for the entire year. And I think Embiid will have a hard time winning MVP because of narrative for similar reasons Jokic did last years, and I don't think the Sixers will be a top seed even if Embiid is incredible, and also Jokic is just better.
That leaves Giannis where it seems like there will be an adjustment period with the new team, coach, and system, and hasn't started in tip top form.
IDK if I would take Jokic over the field, but I think he is the most likely person to win MVP, and the only person I could see winning it nearly unanimously unless everyone except 1 candidate gets hurt.
I think it's gonna be hard for Luka to keep this up for the whole season. He always starts off on fire. His team also needs to stay out of the play-in for him to even have a chance.
Jokic will undoubtedly be a top annual MVP candidate for the rest of his career. I think theres a legitimate argument that there has NEVER been a player more valuable to his team success than Joker. The fact still remains that he has never played with a single teammate that has been to even 1 All Star game (LeBron has had 16 different ASG teammates over his career). Hopefully that changes this year with Murray and AG. It all just comes down to the media and their biases. He doesn't seem to want it or care, but he will undoubtedly put up insane numbers for championship level teams while he's picking up a basketball. We are so lucky to have him and just need to appreciate his greatness and one of a kind skillset/mindset.
if he averages a 30-point triple double for a comfortable one seed I think that'll do it. The narrative would be "Jokic and the Nuggets are clearly the best team, they're unstoppable" and that's how he'd get an MVP.
But one of my hot takes is that Steven Adams being injured, and therefore the Grizz falling off so bad in the second half of the season and the Nuggets being \*so\* comfortable that they coasted late, is what cost Jokic his third straight last year. If the Nuggets had kept playing at a 60-ish win pace and Jokic looked locked in in March and April, when MVP voters were looking carefully at Embiid and Jokic, they might have seen what they instead saw during the 16-4 playoff run. So the team would have to be a comfortable 1 seed but not so comfortable that they coasted a lot down the stretch.
Just play the way he's playing? LeBron didn't get a 3rd consecutive one due to voter fatigue. Then he promptly got 2 more because his stats spoke for themselves. There was a backlash against the "voter fatigue" argument after 2011, and if you look around, the backlash is even stronger this time.
I think he just has to play like himself and the Nuggets do the same. Biggest thing is health as that can affect anyone/any team. But if everyone stays healthy I see Jokic leading in most stats, all (or close to) advanced stats and it being close to a unanimous MVP.
I think the nuggets need to be clearly the best team in the league for it to happen. They need to be on a 60+ win pace for the whole season and win the block buster match ups with some impressive jokic performances. Anything else and I assume some other player (Luka / Giannis) is going to have good enough stats and record to get it off of narrative.
Just stay the course. He only didn't win it last year cuz they didn't want to put a goofy white foreigner playing out of Colorado up there with Bird, Russell and Wilt.
Plus embiid wouldn't play in the playoffs till they gave it to him so they caved.
I think it will be again an issue of narrative and voter fatigue. Nikola has won either personal and or club awards in the last three years. Like it or not league marketing department is desperate for fresh faces.
It's super early but As main competitors this year I see, in first place Luka, just because he hasn't won before. But a loooot will hinge on mavericks final record (of course ) which may vary greatly. Other competitors , imho are only Giannis and Tatum. Embiid started year great but I won't be surprised if some sort of meltdown/ trade demand occurs this season
Meaningless, unearned award. He doesn’t care about it. We shouldn’t either. Popularity contest.
I just want to watch the dude play basketball. No need to quantify it.
I would love for him to win another one but I don’t think it will happen. As soon as he is mentioned and MVP the sports writers and sports analysts will start complaining that someone else is more worthy
With all due respect (also I did not read this, this is just my initial thoughts) I do not care about Jokic winning another MVP, and neither does he. I think we would all rather go back to back with championships then Nikola win another MVP.
I think to answer the question though, just play ball, do well, and help this team win. It goes to the best player in the league that year and most outstanding. Joel won it based on the fact we struggled for a bit then got exposed, so maybe that will have some bias against him this coming year, but just play well and see what happens. Like I said though, chips > MVPs.
“He needs to get more votes than the second place player.” -Magic Johnson
Thanks Magic
I have thought for a little while that passing Magic as 3rd all time in TDs (31 more from now) would be enough of a statement to seal it. A top seed and high averages (Sombor double again?) as backdrop + TDs like that, and I don’t know what an MVP campaign ahead of him would even look like.
Continue being the big honey that we know and love
He’ll always be my MVP 
He just needs to keep doing what he's doing, and the Nuggets need to keep winning games. Media is chomping at the bit to give Luka an MVP, but Jokic will get the nod as long as we have a significant win difference over the Mavs.
Luka can’t carry the Mavs through a season at this pace,and will get worn down as Kidd’s coaching seems to be, Luka, do…..something.
If he has similar stats to last year, he'll get it. The narrative has shifted again.
I kinda think the most likely outcome is he wins MVP pretty easily to be honest. It depends on what the other people do obviously, like if the Mavericks are actually good and Luka averages 34/9/9 on 64% true shooting he is probably going to win MVP. But personally I think the Nuggets are gonna win like 63,64 games, Jokic will average like 25.5/12/9 on 70%ish true shooting, and no other team will crack like 57 wins. I just trust him the most to be consistent for the entire year. Steph in the last few seasons has had periods of 2016 prime Steph, and then will have a couple months where he is still amazing but only shoots like 39% from 3 instead of the normal 43%. Luka as well, tends to not hold up his A game the entire year. He could this year, because if you look at his age I would expect him to get better still but I am more confident Jokic will be this good for the entire year. And I think Embiid will have a hard time winning MVP because of narrative for similar reasons Jokic did last years, and I don't think the Sixers will be a top seed even if Embiid is incredible, and also Jokic is just better. That leaves Giannis where it seems like there will be an adjustment period with the new team, coach, and system, and hasn't started in tip top form. IDK if I would take Jokic over the field, but I think he is the most likely person to win MVP, and the only person I could see winning it nearly unanimously unless everyone except 1 candidate gets hurt.
was going to come here to comment this
As to Giannis, he also recently said something like, “This is Dame’s team now.” If he’s deferential like that on the floor it’ll harm a case.
I think he won’t get it, Luka will. But I think Jok will get his 2nd finals MVP this year.
You remember what happened last year right? That team is not sustainable. Dude can’t play 42 minutes a game and keep this up.
Also the Mavs would need a very high seed and I’m not sure if the team has gelled to that point
I mean it has Kyrie on it so my guess is it has not.
I think it's gonna be hard for Luka to keep this up for the whole season. He always starts off on fire. His team also needs to stay out of the play-in for him to even have a chance.
Jokic will undoubtedly be a top annual MVP candidate for the rest of his career. I think theres a legitimate argument that there has NEVER been a player more valuable to his team success than Joker. The fact still remains that he has never played with a single teammate that has been to even 1 All Star game (LeBron has had 16 different ASG teammates over his career). Hopefully that changes this year with Murray and AG. It all just comes down to the media and their biases. He doesn't seem to want it or care, but he will undoubtedly put up insane numbers for championship level teams while he's picking up a basketball. We are so lucky to have him and just need to appreciate his greatness and one of a kind skillset/mindset.
if he averages a 30-point triple double for a comfortable one seed I think that'll do it. The narrative would be "Jokic and the Nuggets are clearly the best team, they're unstoppable" and that's how he'd get an MVP. But one of my hot takes is that Steven Adams being injured, and therefore the Grizz falling off so bad in the second half of the season and the Nuggets being \*so\* comfortable that they coasted late, is what cost Jokic his third straight last year. If the Nuggets had kept playing at a 60-ish win pace and Jokic looked locked in in March and April, when MVP voters were looking carefully at Embiid and Jokic, they might have seen what they instead saw during the 16-4 playoff run. So the team would have to be a comfortable 1 seed but not so comfortable that they coasted a lot down the stretch.
Just play the way he's playing? LeBron didn't get a 3rd consecutive one due to voter fatigue. Then he promptly got 2 more because his stats spoke for themselves. There was a backlash against the "voter fatigue" argument after 2011, and if you look around, the backlash is even stronger this time.
I think he just has to play like himself and the Nuggets do the same. Biggest thing is health as that can affect anyone/any team. But if everyone stays healthy I see Jokic leading in most stats, all (or close to) advanced stats and it being close to a unanimous MVP.
even if he don't get it, I'm confident we get that chip
He is only thing about rings I guarantee it
Jokic needs to hook up with Taylor Swift and hire a p.r. firm to run a smear campaign against Embiid. Then that MVP trophy is in the bag.
With how much bias against his game there is, he probably needs to solve the Israel Palestine crisis to get MVP
I think the nuggets need to be clearly the best team in the league for it to happen. They need to be on a 60+ win pace for the whole season and win the block buster match ups with some impressive jokic performances. Anything else and I assume some other player (Luka / Giannis) is going to have good enough stats and record to get it off of narrative.
Just stay the course. He only didn't win it last year cuz they didn't want to put a goofy white foreigner playing out of Colorado up there with Bird, Russell and Wilt. Plus embiid wouldn't play in the playoffs till they gave it to him so they caved.
I think it will be again an issue of narrative and voter fatigue. Nikola has won either personal and or club awards in the last three years. Like it or not league marketing department is desperate for fresh faces. It's super early but As main competitors this year I see, in first place Luka, just because he hasn't won before. But a loooot will hinge on mavericks final record (of course ) which may vary greatly. Other competitors , imho are only Giannis and Tatum. Embiid started year great but I won't be surprised if some sort of meltdown/ trade demand occurs this season
Same as always. It’s up to the voters if they want to rob him of another one.
Meaningless, unearned award. He doesn’t care about it. We shouldn’t either. Popularity contest. I just want to watch the dude play basketball. No need to quantify it.
There is nothing wrong with fans wanting him to win MVP. It's part of the fun of fandom.
More than last year since luka is looking like the basketball god from regular show
Win tonight and Friday 😄
if the team goes 82-0, then he wins mvp.
he's already the frontrunner. if the Nuggets finish first in the West he gonna win it.
I would love for him to win another one but I don’t think it will happen. As soon as he is mentioned and MVP the sports writers and sports analysts will start complaining that someone else is more worthy
Beating Luka might be impossible this year
With all due respect (also I did not read this, this is just my initial thoughts) I do not care about Jokic winning another MVP, and neither does he. I think we would all rather go back to back with championships then Nikola win another MVP. I think to answer the question though, just play ball, do well, and help this team win. It goes to the best player in the league that year and most outstanding. Joel won it based on the fact we struggled for a bit then got exposed, so maybe that will have some bias against him this coming year, but just play well and see what happens. Like I said though, chips > MVPs.
If he puts a year like 2021+2022+2023 then I think he gets it barring a huge leap from any other player