Now you might say voter fatigue has a large part to play here.
That seems to be no longer a speculation like it was when Jordan lost out to Malone in 1997.
It’s out there in the open now.
Especially if you compare figures historically to past recipients.
But no past winner has faced as formidable a foe.
Let’s run through some stats to show why.
Because two things can be true.
We’ll get to the Jokic propaganda next.
32.5 points per game.
That’s the most for any player this season.
Jokic is third (30.0) behind Giannis.
But the real separator here is SGA’s 77 games played vs 67 for Jokic.
Points aren’t everything though.
That’s why player ratings were made.
Which also isn’t everything since neither player here is even in the top-five of offensive rating league-wide.
Jokic is 7th and SGA is 12th.
But you’re able to probably see where this is going.
SGA is the complete package.
SGA comes in at #10 league-wide in average defensive rating, while Jokic is at #52.
Conceptually, you could take ten NBA teams and say all five starters are better on defense than Jokic.
Plus one random player somewhere else.
Let’s move on to plus/minus.
Another great stat that also sucks.
Fourth place in NBA history is pretty solid if you ask me.
Jokic lands in the mid-50s all-time at 8.06 (didn’t make graph cut).
Min 50-games played
Being great is great.
But what about being consistently great?
Yeah - SGA checks that box too.
His only game this season with less than 20 points was in October (18-points).
He’s scored 20 or more in every game since that fourth game of the season.
So 73 straight games played with 20+.
Only people to have a longer streak are Oscar Robertson, Wilt, and Wilt.
But is his team any good?
I know - dumb rhetorical question.
Judging by point differential per game, this OKC squad ranks fourth all-time.
For the record - Jordan won MVP in 1996 and Kareem for the Bucks in 1971.
We can only compare to this season.
Quite the contrary for Jokic.
This team will absolutely crumble without him.
Case in point this random tweet of mine after watching them play the Warriors a week or so ago.
Luka and Harden were the other two and both scored 60.
But hey - at least they won for his 30-20-20 game (only player to ever do this).
Speaking of his triple doubles - this is not something centers are supposed to habitually do.
Bill Russell: 16.
While the season wraps up tomorrow - the race for MVP is over.
But I can’t get that team plus/minus chart out of my mind.
At the end of the day - who really cares?
They’re both awesome and make it fun to dig up stats on.
