Denver’s basketball star Nikola Jokić has been named a finalist for the NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP) award and is recognized as the top player in close game scenarios this season.

This evening, the NBA revealed the finalists for this year’s awards. Along with the Serbian center, the contenders for the highly coveted MVP award include Oklahoma’s Shai Gilges-Alexander and Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo.

Jokić, who earned the MVP title last year, is aiming to secure the award for the fourth time in five years. He has had an outstanding season, boasting an average triple-double per game.

Additionally, he is in the running for the clutch player award.

In this category, he faces competition from New York’s Jaylen Branson and Minnesota’s Anthony Edwards.

This season, Edwards tallied 157 points in clutch situations, Branson scored 150, while Jokić accumulated 140 points.

The nominees for the Rookie of the Year award are: Stephon Castle from San Antonio, Zachary Rizasher from Atlanta, and Jalen Wells from Memphis.

For the Best Defensive Player award, the NBA has nominated Dyson Daniels from Atlanta, Draymond Green from Golden State, and Evan Mobley from Cleveland.

The Most Improved Player award contenders include Cade Cunningham from Detroit, Dyson Daniels from Atlanta, and Ivica Zubac from the Los Angeles Lakers.

The finalists for Best Sixth Player are Malik Beasley from Detroit, Ty Jerome from Cleveland, and Peyton Pritchard from Boston.

Lastly, the nominees for Coach of the Year are Kenny Atkinson from Cleveland, J.D. Bickerstaff from Detroit, and Ime Udoka from Houston.

News