Los Angeles Lakers guard Austin Reaves believes Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic should have won the 2022-23 NBA MVP Award over Philadelphia 76ers big man Joel Embiid.
“I personally thought he should’ve,” Reaves said on the Fullsend Podcast. “The way that he plays is so unique for a big man, but obviously, Joel’s really good and dominates the game in just a different facet. It’s just Jokic, I think we were going back to the MVP, I think it was just voter’s fatigue. He won it the last two years. … I think that was part of the issue.”
Jokic won the NBA MVP Award in 2021 and 2022. Many people around the NBA believe voters voted for Embiid last season due to voter fatigue. Boston Celtics legend Larry Bird is the only player in NBA history to win three MVPs in a row.
NBA NEWS & RUMORS: Austin Reaves, Nikola Jokic, Joel Embiid, Los Angeles Lakers, Philadelphia 76ers & Denver Nuggets Updates
Embiid averaged 33.1 points, 10.2 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 1.7 blocks last season for the Sixers while shooting 54.8% from the field, 33.0% from beyond the arc and 85.7% from the free-throw line. The six-time NBA All-Star recorded 39 double-doubles and one triple-double and led the league in points per game for the second straight season.
Meanwhile, Jokic put up 24.5 points, 11.8 rebounds and 9.8 assists per game for the Nuggets while shooting 63.2% overall, 38.3% from 3 and 82.2% from the free-throw line. The five-time NBA All-Star registered 58 double-doubles and 29 triple-doubles.
NBA NEWS & RUMORS: Austin Reaves, Nikola Jokic, Joel Embiid, Los Angeles Lakers, Philadelphia 76ers & Denver Nuggets Updates
The Sixers won 54 games last season but lost to the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference Semifinals in seven games, while the Nuggets won 53 games and won the NBA championship over the Miami Heat in five games. Denver swept Reaves and the Lakers in the Western Conference Finals.
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