Nikola Jokic - 23-24 NBA Thread - '24 NBA MVP & 23 Finals NBA MVP

[GSP]

Absolutely 0 doubt who the best player in the league and of this 2020s era has been so far

[frica]

Jokic with a cute Dream shake, like Gobert's reaction.

https://streamable.com/r75bgq

[OhayoKD]

Absolutely 0 doubt who the best player in the league and of this 2020s era has been so far

if he closes the deal it'll be dumb to argue

[ardee]

If the Nuggets win the title, this will be Jokic's answer to 2012 game 6 vs Boston or Jordan's Shrug game.

40/7/13 on 78% TS, against the best defense in the league while matched up with the reigning DPoY (and 4-time winner), in a pivotal swing game 5, while his 2nd and 3rd option combine for 9/24 from the field....

[B_Creamy]

Heres hoping Jokic 3peats so people on the PC board talk about someone other than LeBron

[TroubleS0me]

Read on Twitter

[Mickey8]

Watch on YouTube

As predicted trash media is trying to undermine Jokic's performance by crapping on Gobert. Even though Gobert have challenged almost every Jokic shot, he also dominated rest of Minnesota. I think its a policy of every major network to undermine his greatness.

[Bergmaniac]

This clip is a perfect example of how bad NBA discussion on TV is. "Pundits" retroactively questioning regular season awards due to what happens in the playoffs. Skip ranting "But Chet and Wemby had more blocks". Laughably simplistic understanding of defence. Rachel Nichols of all people looking like the competent and reasonable pundit.

[Ainosterhaspie]

Watch on YouTube

As predicted trash media is trying to undermine Jokic's performance by crapping on Gobert. Even though Gobert have challenged almost every Jokic shot, he also dominated rest of Minnesota. I think its a policy of every major network to undermine his greatness.

A bunch of the media just want to protect the past. Can't give modern players their due, because it might undermine the glory of their favorite era.

[Mickey8]

That has nothing to do with the past. They are hyping Edwards as the next Jordan in this series . Its pure hatred towards Denver and most of it is because of Jokic.

[KTM_2813]

I think part of the problem with NBA pundits is that they consistently fail (or refuse) to recognize what we're seeing from Jokic. He isn't just playing like the best player in the world. He isn't just playing like a top-twenty player ever. He is playing at possibly the highest level we've ever seen. I'm not saying he's definitively the GOAT or anything. I'm just saying what he's doing is silly and kind of unprecedented.

So when people see him destroy the Timberwolves, it's not surprising the response is: "Well it must be because Gobert sucks!" People aren't registering that Jokic has access to God Mode and when he activates it, no one can do anything about it. If Jokic plays like an all-timer, it can't be because he's an all-timer, there must be some external or fluky reason for it.

This seems to happen with all great players. People don't recognize their greatness until like 5-10 years after the fact. I've been a basketball fan for over 20 years and I've seen it happen time and time again. I wish people would be a little more receptive to present greatness instead of always having to wait and acknowledge it retroactively.

[1993Playoffs]

I just think no one expected some random chubby Serbian who was a 2nd rounder to be this good. Like the person above me said. He’s playing as well as anyone ever did.

We’re so busy discussing MJ vs LeBron… Jokic may be a better offensive player than both (it’s debatable at least). Even when he won B2B MVPs I never thought he would be this good.

[tsherkin]

I think part of the problem with NBA pundits is that they consistently fail (or refuse) to recognize what we're seeing from Jokic.

I think their problem is more that they are mostly agenda-driven fools who don't actually know what they're talking about, even if some of them did play the game. And more pertinently, that they aren't actually proficient analysts (in the broader sense, not speaking strictly on a quantitative level), so they are riddled with fallacies, oversights and a general absence of integrity in how they approach a given subject.

They're clowns. Some of them are more honest about it, like Stephen A. Smith. He knows what he is and dedicates himself to the role. It's a stupid role, but he knows what he's doing and does it well. The others, like the TNT crew, who pretend they're useful at any point other than when they are just bantering with one another, are sort of tragic. And there are other examples beyond them in the media environment and the space of NBA commentary.

[parsnips33]

I actually burst out laughing when he hit that 3 over Rudy at the end. What a ridiculous player

[KTM_2813]

I think part of the problem with NBA pundits is that they consistently fail (or refuse) to recognize what we're seeing from Jokic.

I think their problem is more that they are mostly agenda-driven fools who don't actually know what they're talking about, even if some of them did play the game. And more pertinently, that they aren't actually proficient analysts (in the broader sense, not speaking strictly on a quantitative level), so they are riddled with fallacies, oversights and a general absence of integrity in how they approach a given subject.

They're clowns. Some of them are more honest about it, like Stephen A. Smith. He knows what he is and dedicates himself to the role. It's a stupid role, but he knows what he's doing and does it well. The others, like the TNT crew, who pretend they're useful at any point other than when they are just bantering with one another, are sort of tragic. And there are other examples beyond them in the media environment and the space of NBA commentary.

You are... Not wrong, my friend.

[tsherkin]

I think part of the problem with NBA pundits is that they consistently fail (or refuse) to recognize what we're seeing from Jokic.

I think their problem is more that they are mostly agenda-driven fools who don't actually know what they're talking about, even if some of them did play the game. And more pertinently, that they aren't actually proficient analysts (in the broader sense, not speaking strictly on a quantitative level), so they are riddled with fallacies, oversights and a general absence of integrity in how they approach a given subject.

They're clowns. Some of them are more honest about it, like Stephen A. Smith. He knows what he is and dedicates himself to the role. It's a stupid role, but he knows what he's doing and does it well. The others, like the TNT crew, who pretend they're useful at any point other than when they are just bantering with one another, are sort of tragic. And there are other examples beyond them in the media environment and the space of NBA commentary.

You are... Not wrong, my friend.

It's super frustrating, no?

[Doctor MJ]

I actually burst out laughing when he hit that 3 over Rudy at the end. What a ridiculous player

I think a lot of us had a similar giggle response during the 3rd quarter, and I don't think I have a more-impressed-than-giggle response. Right up there with the greatest basketball performances I've ever seen.

[tsherkin]

I actually burst out laughing when he hit that 3 over Rudy at the end. What a ridiculous player

I think a lot of us had a similar giggle response during the 3rd quarter, and I don't think I have a more-impressed-than-giggle response. Right up there with the greatest basketball performances I've ever seen.

I am partial to the move on the right block which left Rudy just shaking his head and tossing his hands in the air.

[Doctor MJ]

A specific pet peeve of mine:

Somehow coming from behind 1-3 in back to back series in 2020 wasn't "facing pressure" in the minds of 2024 observers.

Yes, there's a specific type of pressure when you're the champ and have a target on your back, but if the concern is losing steam when you're not winning, the Nuggets already answered those questions quite a while ago and it's like people don't remember things more than a couple years old.

[Mickey8]

Gobert's teammates failed him, if Edwards and Towns showed up they would have had the chance to win that game. Actually Rudy had a good game, he was their best player, he didn't miss the shot, he rebounded well. Yet media is calling him out when he's not even the main star of that team. Its all to crap on Jokic's parade again.