Nikola Jokić has made his mark on the NBA this postseason, turning heads around the league with his incredible play while leading the Denver Nuggets to the 2023 Finals. He has been the best player in each series thus far, and has continued his dominance during the first two games against the Miami Heat.
Wright: Nikola Jokić Can Win MVP Even If Nuggets Lose
“If this series continues on this track… I would be okay with it. The best player is not always on the team that wins [the Finals].”
Nick Wright isn’t opposed to Nikola Jokic winning the Finals MVP even if the Nuggets lose the series 👀
(via @FTFonFS1)pic.twitter.com/Y1CNXp9lqa
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPointsApp) June 7, 2023
With Jokic being the top overall performer thus far, Finals MVP talk has begun. The series is tied 1-1 and feels as though it could go either way, but there hasn’t been a Heat player that has overwhelming impressed in the first two contests.
The attack for Miami has been evenly distributed. Three players scored 21+ in Game 2, and three went for 18+ in Game 1 as well. Bam Adebayo led the way in the first game with 26, and Gabe Vincent was the leading scorer in the Heat’s Game 2 victory.
And while Jimmy Butler has been the go-to player for the Heat throughout the team’s impressive playoff run, he hasn’t been his dominant self over the last 8 or so games. His numbers and percentages have dipped noticeably against the Celtics and Nuggets, and has shot a combined 13 for 33 from the field in the first two finals games.
“You cannot have a Finals MVP from the losing team!”
— @Chris_Broussard on if Jokić can still win MVP even if the Nuggets lose: pic.twitter.com/SpspgOniID
— First Things First (@FTFonFS1) June 7, 2023
So if they Heat were able to pull off the upset, who would be named MVP?
It can be argued that Adebayo has been the team’s best player in the Finals so far. But is his performance sustainable over the course of the entire series? And would it be enough to warrant being named the most valuable player?
Fox Sports personality Nick Wright has his own opinions on the matter during First Things First on Wednesday morning. The crew on the show was talking about the possible MVP candidates for the series, and Wright explained why he’d be okay with Nikola Jokic receiving the hardware, even if he was on the losing team.
“If this series continues on this track where no one on the Heat averages more than 21 a game, and Joker has these unbelievable games and the Heat win, I would be okay with it…The best player is not always on the team that won.”
The feat has only happened once before. Jerry West was named Finals MVP in 1969 after his Los Angeles Lakers lost to the Boston Celtics in seven games. But there was no denying West’s dominance in that series, as he averaged 38 points, 7.4 assists, and 4.7 rebounds per game on 49% shooting.
Nikola Jokic put up a triple-double in his first NBA Finals game, and followed it up with a 41 point performance in the Nuggets’ Game 2 defeat.
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