Dallas Mavericks star Luka Doncic doesn't get much of the MVP respect he deserves, but the Denver Nuggets center has one big supporter and good friend Nikola Jokic.
During Sunday's matchup between the Mavs and Nuggets, Jokic expressed his belief that Doncic is the MVP for the 2023-24 season.
Nikola Jokic backs Dallas Mavericks' Luka Doncic to win MVP
Doncic is the reason the Mavericks are competing for a playoff spot in the tough Western Conference, but many are putting him behind Jokic, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Giannis Antetokounmpo in the MVP race. Some even put Jayson Tatum above him, which just goes to show how disrespected the Slovenian is.
The 25-year-old is averaging a near triple-double with 34.9 points, 9.0 rebounds and 9.8 assists per game. Nevertheless, they were not enough to convince fans and media alike that he was the league's clear best player.
Sure enough, the fact that the Mavericks are a play-in team as the season ends doesn't help his case. If they were a top-four seed, things probably would have been different.
Nevertheless, an argument could be made that without Doncic, the Mavericks would likely be one of the bottom teams in the league. Unlike other candidates who have deep teams around them, Doncic doesn't have that luxury.
Doncic has Kyrie Irving by his side, but his help pales in comparison to other front-runners for MVP.
That being said, Jokic shared his belief that Doncic deserves more than the praise. Unfortunately, the Serbian player knows that it is not up to him to decide the award.
“I think he deserves MVP 100 percent. it's not my decisionTo be honest,” Jokic said about Doncic during the ABC broadcast, via “The Smoking Cuban's” Noah Webber.
Luka Doncic chooses Nikola Jokic as MVP
For what it's worth, Luka Doncic definitely stepped up in a big way against the Dallas Mavericks on Sunday, leading his team to a victory over Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets.
In a battle of MVP candidates, Doncic topped his friend with 37 points, nine rebounds, three assists and two steals. In contrast, Jokic had just 16 points, 11 rebounds, seven assists, and two steals.
Irving was the star of the game, hitting a buzzer-beater for a 107-105 victory, but it wouldn't have been possible without Doncic. The five-time All-Star hit the game-winning 3-pointer with 25 seconds left, paving the way for Irving's finishing touch.
This is definitely an incredible win for Doncic and the Mavericks, and it further highlights how deserving Luka is of MVP conversation.
