Nikola Jokic had a great MVP run last season. He averaged a dominant 26.4 points, 10.8 rebounds, and 8.3 assists per game. Winning the MVP made him the first center to do so since Shaquille O’Neal in 2000. As a result, Jokic has become one of, if not the best center in today's game.

As the Nuggets’ main gunner, Nikola Jokic has taken the Nuggets to new heights. He led the Nuggets to three straight playoff appearances, including a Western Conference Finals run in 2020.

However, while Jokic can easily make a case to win back-to-back MVPs this season, there will be a lot of challenges he has to face to achieve this feat. For this piece, let’s take a look at five threats to his back-to-back MVP campaign.

Jamal Murray’s injury

Jamal Murray’s injury certainly took a hit on the Nuggets’ quest for a championship run last year. And surely, it’s also gonna affect the team this year. Although they lost Murray in the latter part of the season, Jokic still managed to win MVP and led the Nuggets to a 47-25 finish.

Without Murray, the reigning MVP averaged 26.9 points, 10.6 rebounds, and 6.9 assists per game. The Nuggets also went 13-5 in that stretch.

Murray has shown signs of improvement during the Nuggets’ practice.

However, with no timetable yet for the return of Murray, it’s uncertain how the Nuggets will fair without him for a longer stretch. With his absence, this means Nikola Jokic will have to do the heavy lifting for Denver. Although this could mean better numbers, the absence of Murray has a good chance of affecting the number of wins the Nuggets could get.

Murray's absence will make it much harder for Nikola Jokic this year. Murray’s scoring prowess allows Jokic to pass to a reliable scorer to execute the plays he initiates. Furthermore, Murray’s ability to be a perimeter threat gives Jokic the room to operate in the paint. In fact, Murray’s scoring explosion during the 2020 NBA Bubble was a testament to how important he is for the Nuggets.

With Murray out, this will certainly negatively affect the Nuggets’ position as a contender in the West. But for Jokic, as we all know, winning games is also critical aspect to the MVP race aside from individual statistics. And if Jokic and the Nuggets can’t get the wins, his back-to-back MVP campaign might be in peril.

Lackluster supporting cast

With Jamaal Murray out, pressure has been placed on Denver's supporting cast to fill in for his absence. Some of these players include Aaron Gordon and Michael Porter Jr. Facundo Campazzo, Monte Morris, and Austin Rivers.

Unfortunately, we all saw how the Nuggets lacked firepower against eventual Western Conference champs in the Phoenix Suns. And things could be the same this season.

The Nuggets are starting the season on the wrong foot. The Nuggets only went 1-4 during their preseason preparations. Furthermore, Nikola Jokic has reportedly called out his teammates for their subpar effort during practice.

With a struggling supporting cast and a frustrated Jokic, the Nuggets may see their star center’s numbers and their chances of winning both plummet. In fact, even Michael Malone acknowledges that the Nuggets are caught in a bad situation that they need to address.

This is obviously a threat to Jokic’s MVP campaign and to the Nuggets’ status as a championship contender.

A healthier Anthony Davis

Jokic is easily one of the elite centers in the league. However, he didn’t have to deal with Anthony Davis a lot last season. AD is also a talented center who’s capable of giving Nikola Jokic a run for his money.

Last season, multiple injuries hampered AD’s ability to stay on the floor. In fact, his injuries played a big factor in the Lakers’ disappointing title defense. AD only appeared in 36 games. He averaged a fairly decent 21.8 points and 7.9 boards per game.

With AD coming into the season healthy, Jokic will have another big man to worry about in the MVP race. The Lakers have surrounded AD with a formidable All-Star laden supporting cast. And with a healthier LeBron James on the roster, AD’s in a perfect position to make a statement in the league.

In the season-opener, AD wasted no time in putting the work. Although the Lakers fell short against the Warriors, he still registered 33 points and 11 rebounds to pace his team.

With AD in his prime surrounded by a decorated roster, the Lakers are a championship contender, at least on paper. For AD, this is a golden opportunity to redeem himself after an injury-filled season. And the best way to cash in is to play like a MVP.

A bigger role for Joel Embiid

The Philadelphia 76ers have been surrounded by unwanted off-court drama as of late. This of course stems from the Ben Simmons dilemma. While the Sixers have a lot to deal with, Joel Embiid’s mission to keep the Sixers a contender remains the same. Embiid recently voiced out his thoughts on Simmons, and that his teammate can do whatever he wants.

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Scotty White ·

Nuggets' Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray (smiling or looking happy) at an upset Lakers' LeBron James and Anthony Davis.

Rachel Strand ·

LeBron James and Anthony Davis looking upset/angry/frustrated from tonight's game. Nikola Jokic in the background, from tonight's game.

Michael Corvo ·

Jokic and Embiid are familiar foes in the MVP race. With Jokic winning the award last season, it was Embiid who finished second. As a center with a dominant post-up game, Embiid is among the premier centers of the league today. Last season, he averaged 28.5 points and 10.6 rebounds per game.

With the Simmons’ drama recently taking a turn for the worse, it looks like a golden opportunity for Embiid to elevate his MVP status. Embiid has a chance to assume more responsibilities that Simmons will vacate.

With Embiid anchoring both ends of the floor, this could mean more dominant numbers for him. More importantly, if he manages to keep the Sixers’ status as a top contender under his sole leadership, it could be a more convincing case to give him the MVP trophy over Jokic this time around.

Luka Doncic's rise

Luka Doncic has been breaking records left and right in his young career. As the main cornerstone of the Dallas Mavericks franchise, big things are right around the corner for the Slovenian star.

After agreeing to a huge extension, an MVP trophy could be in sight for Luka. Luka is arguably the top prospect to inherit the face of the league. And with more financial motivation and maturity entering his fourth season, his potential seems limitless.

With a polished all-around game, Doncic has been impossible to stop one-on-one. Individually, Luka is more than capable of producing MVP numbers. Last season, he tallied 27.7 points, 8.6 assists, and 8.0 boards per outing. In fact, Luka was also one of the few snubs to take home the trophy.

The only knock on Luka as a potential MVP is his inability to lead his team to a top three finish and his postseason failures. Although Luka has led the Mavs to two postseason appearances, the team doesn’t seem ripe enough to be a championship contender just yet. However with Luka magic, that could change very soon.

As time passes by, we continue to see the developments Luka is making. With Luka confirming that his relationship with Kristaps Porzingis is nothing to worry about, we might see an even better Luka this season. While Jokic isn’t all too worried about individual awards, a fully developed Luka is an easy candidate to jeopardize the Jokic’s back-to-back MVP hopes.