Former NBA participant turned media character Gilbert Arenas has shared one other outrageous take, this time he has taken goal at Nuggets large man Nikola Jokic.
The Serbian famous person has gained two MVP titles in his NBA profession and is effectively on monitor to take out his third this season.
Nevertheless, Arenas believes that should you go by the historical past of MVP awards and the way they got out, Jokic isn’t a deserving recipient.
“Jokic might be, statistically, relating to general recreation, the worst MVP winner. He’s the worst MVP winner within the final 40 years,” Arenas stated on Nightcap. “Whenever you’re speaking about MVP, their groups had been first and second place. The individuals who gained the MVP, their groups had been first and second. When [Michael] Jordan gained it, his workforce document, they had been seventh within the NBA. That 12 months, he averaged 35 [points], 6 [assists], 5 [rebounds], 3 steals, All-Star MVP, Defensive Participant of the 12 months, scoring title, steals chief – that was the MVP. Historic 12 months, is smart. That is smart.
“When [Russell] Westbrook gained it, his workforce had the Tenth-best document. Triple-double. He did one thing superb. His workforce was Tenth, however he did one thing that wasn’t accomplished since Oscar Robertson. In 2021, Jokic’s workforce was fifth. He averaged 26 [points], 8 [assists], and 10 [rebounds]. What was the historic a part of that? There was no historical past. ‘Oh, a giant man nearly had a triple-double, let’s give it to him.’ That’s what the narrative was. An enormous man nearly, not did, nearly gained the triple-double, and so they gave it to him when his workforce document was like that.”
Arenas went on to say why Jokic shouldn’t have been awarded his first two MVP accolades.
“Look, his first two ones, he most likely shouldn’t have had these. In case you go by historical past, final 12 months – that ought to’ve been his, it shouldn’t have been Embiid’s. Jayson Tatum’s been one, he’s been the perfect participant, he’s averaged 30, he’s had the quantity that the remainder of historical past [had] – that was his MVP. Now, Jokic is sitting in 1st with nice stats. You realize what I imply? And now you’re sitting like, ‘We gone dishonest for the final couple of years, so we gotta give it to him this 12 months.’ Whenever you have a look at the historical past of this recreation, proper, how Jokic gained his MVP has by no means been [done]. It’s like we’re dumbing down, we’re dumbing down the sport for a story,” Arenas stated.
“When Giannis [Antetokounmpo] was successful, Giannis was successful. He was dominating all the pieces. His workforce was one, he dominated from the start of the season till the top of the season, each years he gained. You don’t have to handicap greatness.”
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