Nikola Jokic gets the better of Giannis Antetokounmpo in battle of MVP’s

If the season ended right now, who would be the NBA’s Most Valuable Player? 

Tonight, Nikola Jokic got the better of fellow MVP frontrunner Giannis Antetokounmpo in Milwaukee, finishing with a near triple-double in just three quarters as the Nuggets steamrolled past the Bucks, 136-100.

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The surging Nuggets have now won five in a row and are quickly making ground on the slumping Utah Jazz for the fifth seed in the West, who have lost five consecutive games. After tonight’s performance, Jokic may have nudged ahead of the Greek Freak in the race for league MVP honors, too. 

In the eight games leading up to the contest with Milwaukee, Jokic had been averaging 29.3 points per game, along with 13.1 rebounds and 10.5 assists on 59-45-93 shooting splits.

Jokic also leads the league in triple-doubles this season with 12 (he’s had six in January alone), and almost had another one on Sunday, falling one rebound shy with 18 points, 15 assists and nine rebounds. 

The Serbian big man also joined the exclusive company of Wilt Chamberlain as only the second center to record six triple-doubles in a single calendar month twice.

Antetokounmpo had 29 points and nine rebounds as the Bucks dropped their second game in their last five.

Between Jokic and Antetokounmpo, the two have won the last three MVP awards and Denver – and Jokic – are looking to replicate the team success Milwaukee had last season winning a championship. After the game on Sunday, Jokic said he admired his fellow MVP candidate. 

The Nuggets’ center has picked up this season right where he left the previous one.

Playing some of the best basketball of his career, Jokic is currently on pace to finish the 2021-2022 campaign with the highest Player Efficiency Rating in NBA/ABA history.

If we take a look at Jokic’s numbers from his MVP season in 2020-21, and the 44 games he has played this season, they are eerily similar. 

The Nuggets have won 10 of their last 13 games, including Sunday’s blowout of the Bucks at home who were 19-4 with their Big Three (Antetokounmpo, Jrue Holiday and Khris Middelton) playing.