After just one bad game, NBA drops Nikola Jokic in MVP ladder

Denver Nuggets superstar Nikola Jokic did not have a good game on Wednesday night in Los Angeles against the Clippers.

Oh well.

Bad games happen, even for the best player on Earth, and we should all just move on. Right?

That’s what most folks would do, but apparently not NBA writer Michael C. Wright. After a night in which Jokic missed a career-high 23 shots, going just 9-32 from the field, Wright dropped Jokic to second on his MVP ladder. The league’s official account is promoting the content.

Joel Embiid jumps Nikola Jokic in @mikecwright's latest NBA App #KiaMVP Ladder 👀

See the full list on the NBA App!

➡️: https://t.co/SrpUCB6HvL pic.twitter.com/439kehrrhl

— NBA (@NBA) December 8, 2023

Really? Just this week Jokic was leading the NBA in points, rebounds and assists. He was first in every single major statistical category. It’s unprecedented the production he’s putting up. Oh, and he had a triple-double against the Clippers, even on an off night.

We all know the Jokic and Joel Embiid MVP conversation went off the rails last year, and apparently it might again. On the season, Jokic has shot under 50 percent four times, while Embiid has done it seven. But again, it feels like one tough evening holds more weight than the entire body of work.

It’s December, we’ve got a long way to go. But posts like this should serve as a reminder that Jokic’s third MVP in four seasons isn’t a given.

And that’s not because he isn’t deserving, it’s because writers will look for any excuse to not give him the award.