The MVP race in the NBA has been a topic of discussion ever since time immemorial. This season is no different. While the likes of Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant dominated the MVP race initially, two names have been a constant in the same, Nikola Jokic and Joel Embiid. With both the superstars missing their co-stars, the pressure on the two has been massive, and the duo has certainly stepped up to the plate.

Leading their teams to the fifth and sixth seeds in their respective conferences, Embiid and the ‘Joker’ have been extremely impressive. But with the race so tight, let’s see why Nikola Jokic deserves to keep his title as the Most Valuable Player in the NBA.

MVP Calibre Offensive Performance

Nikola Jokic certainly is not the flashiest player in the league and averaging 25.8 points per game might not be the most impressive feat in the season either. But once you start digging into the stats, the impact of the Serbian is absolutely massive.

In a season where the Nuggets are missing two-thirds of their attacking trio in Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr., Jokic has been the saving grace for the Nuggets. Be it playmaking, scoring or even rebounding, the 27-year-old has done it all this season.

Only missing six games of the season, Jokic has been an anchor for the Nuggets, who have relied on the Serbian in a massive way. While last season the 3-time All-Star averaged his career highs, this year he has maintained similar stats averaging 25.8 points, 7.9 assists and 13.6 rebounds, with impressive shooting splits of 57.8% in field goals, 37.5% from the perimeter and 81.6% from the free throw line.

The ‘Joker’ even has career high number in effective field goal percentage and incredible efficiency inside the three point line only topped by four other players. With a stat line so jampacked, it is no surprise why Denver have managed to only win a single game without their talismanic center.

Major Improvement in Defense

While Jokic is known for his crafty passes and his effective scoring, the one lacuna in his game has been his defending. Often considered as slower than other centers, Jokic is not a shot blocking machine like his All-Star center Rudy Gobert. While his numbers in blocking haven’t taken a massive jump, his rebounding has increased massively this season.

Averaging 11 defensive rebounds per game, Jokic is by far the leading defensive rebounder this season, even toppling big men like DeAndre Ayton and Gobert. His defensive rating has also decreased significantly. While in his MVP winning season, Jokic had a shocking defensive rating of 112.6. This season the number has decreased to 106.9, which is the second lowest in his career.

With an offensive rating of 117.6 his second best in career, Jokic arguably is playing his best brand of all-round basketball this season. Given the impact the Serbian has had on both sides of the court, it is no surprise why Jokic has by far the highest PER in the league, with a rating of 33.1. If the 3-time All-Star can maintain this run of form, he might as well top Giannis Antetokounmpo‘s incredible record of 31.86, which he posted back in the 2019-20 season.

With his contender Joel Embiid already missing more games than him and a star like James Harden joining Philly, it is Jokic’s time to move ahead in the MVP race. If the Serbian can lead the Nuggets to a top 6 seed in a competitive Western Conference despite the absence of Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr., it won’t be a surprise if Nikola Jokic ends up being the best player in the league for the second season in a row.