There isn’t any query who one of the best basketball participant on the planet is.
That distinction and title belong to Nikola Jokic.
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The massive man from Serbia completed the common season averaging a triple-double with 29.6 factors, 12.7 rebounds, 10.2 assists, and 1.8 steals per recreation.
He’s the primary middle in NBA historical past to common a triple-double, and solely the third participant ever to take action, becoming a member of teammate Russell Westbrook and Corridor of Famer Oscar Robertson.
It was an historic season that, in another yr, would absolutely have ended with him profitable his fourth common season MVP award.
Sadly for Jokic, there may be such a factor as voter fatigue, whether or not the voters will admit it or not, and since Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had the most effective guard seasons of all time, SGA is the betting favourite to win the award.
However one of the best participant continues to be, with out query, Denver’s Jokic.
This led to a dialogue on Shannon Sharpe and Chad Johnson’s podcast, Nightcap, on how lengthy the Serbian native may maintain this up.
“I acquired a query,” Johnson requested.
“As dominant as he’s, proper? Being that his recreation is not primarily based on explosion and being fast and enjoying above the rim, how lengthy can he maintain this up?”
“So long as he desires to,” Sharpe answered.
“It has been reported that he’s about to signal a three-year, $212million extension within the offseason, which is the supermax.
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“It is essentially the most a man can signal for, which is that $70million per yr extension, which is what Luka was going to be entitled to this offseason.
“So due to the sport, it isn’t a number of pounding. It isn’t a number of up and down.
“He can play one other eight years, so long as his thoughts stays sharp.
“However it’s important to understand these forms of gamers usually are not like American gamers. It isn’t the end-all be-all for them.
“You hear them speaking. He desires to get again to his horses. He desires to get again to his homeland. He desires to be along with his household. That is what he desires to do.
“I am not saying he would not take the sport severe. You do not turn out to be this good, I do not care how gifted you’re, turn out to be this dominant with out taking the sport severe, with out placing the work in.”
Jokic and the Nuggets earned the fourth seed within the Western Convention, matching up in opposition to the fifth-seeded Los Angeles Clippers.
They fired head coach Michael Malone every week earlier than the playoffs, so it’s as much as Jokic to hold this crew in the event that they wish to make a deep run.
Whereas his rapid future is unsure by way of what he and the Nuggets will do concerning a contract extension and the potential of taking dwelling over $300m, the time is now to as soon as once more remind the world that there’s just one identify that belongs subsequent to the title of greatest participant on the planet.
Nikola Jokic.
The way to watch NBA within the UK
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With the NBA hurtling in the direction of playoff season subsequent month, there’s lots driving on the remaining video games.
Reigning champions the Boston Celtics are chasing back-to-back titles, and would be the first crew to do that since 2018 in the event that they’re profitable.
In the meantime, LeBron James and Luka Dončić’s Lakers wish to win LA’s first championship since 2020.
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