New Orleans Pelicans head coach Alvin Gentry is surprised Denver Nuggets star big man Nikola Jokic hasn't gotten more MVP buzz this season, according to Mike Singer of the Denver Post.
Jokic has led the Nuggets to the second-best record in the rugged Western Conference heading into Saturday. Denver is 42-19.
Just had an extended chat with Alvin Gentry. He's surprised Nikola Jokic hasn't gotten more MVP buzz, and he thinks Michael Malone, Bud and McMillan are the leading candidates for Coach of the Year.
— Mike Singer (@msinger) March 3, 2019
In 60 games this season for the Nuggets, Nikola Jokic is averaging 20.6 points, 10.8 rebounds and 7.7 assists. The 24-year-old, who made his first All-Star team this season, is shooting an efficient 50.0 percent from the field, 31.5 percent from beyond the arc and 84.4 percent from the free-throw line.
Jokic has 43 double-doubles and 12 triple-doubles on the season. He's universally recognized as the best passing big man in the NBA today. Denver runs a lot of their offense through The Joker, thanks in large part to his stellar passing skills.
So far, Houston Rockets shooting guard James Harden, Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo and Oklahoma City Thunder swingman Paul George have been getting the most MVP hoopla from the media and fans. But we shouldn't ignore what Jokic is doing on a nightly basis just because his game isn't flashy. If you took Jokic off the Nuggets, they wouldn't be even close to the top of the Western Conference standings.
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