After finishing in fourth place last season in MVP voting, Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic isn't getting quite the same recognition this season. However, Jokic's lack of respect isn't a problem for Nuggets head coach Mike Malone.
When asked about why Jokic isn't getting more MVP chatter, Malone had this to say per the Denver Post's Mike Singer:
“I’m not sure. And we don’t concern ourselves about it. If you want to sleep on the Nuggets, if you want to sleep on Nikola, keep on sleeping.”
Last season, Jokic broke out for 20.1 points, 10.8 rebounds and 7.3 assists per game while leading Denver to the second seed in the Western Conference.
This season, the Serbian seven-footer is putting up nearly identical stats with 20.6 points, 10.2 rebounds and 6.9 assists while upping both his field goal and three-point percentages to 51.8 and 32.9 percent respectively.
Not only is the 25-year-old big man continuing to put up incredible numbers, but Jokic is also once again pushing the Nuggets to a top-half finish in the West.
At 38-17, Denver is once again the second seed in the conference and are currently four games behind the Los Angeles Lakers for first.
A relatively slow start to the season may be what is hindering Jokic's MVP odds but as of now, the fifth-year pro is playing arguably the best basketball of his career.
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