Even without MVPs, Jokic’s reputation will be defined by championships in the future, and the Nuggets failed to win this year. They fell in seven games to the Minnesota Timberwolves, who were built to stop them, and the Nuggets imploded after leading by 20 points at home in Game 7. Jokic was not the reason they lost, but he did miss several opportunities.
But even independent of MVPs, Jokic’s legacy will be defined by championships going forward, and the Nuggets fell short this year. They lost in seven games to a team built to stop them in the Minnesota Timberwolves, and the Nuggets were up 20 points in Game 7 at home and collapsed. Jokic wasn’t the reason they lost, but he had opportunities that he missed.
What’s Next for Jokic? For Jokic’s sake, I hope this is his final MVP season. The quality in the NBA is incredible right now, and other young stars will challenge him for the individual award next year. Jokic’s individual run of domination has been fantastic, but the Nuggets need him to be as fresh as possible heading into the playoffs for the remainder of his career, and playing 79 games and a career high in minutes following a championship run the year before may not have been wise.
