Jokic knocking on the door of legends with unprecedented output but fourth MVP will be almost impossible to win

The old voter fatigue cliche gets thrown out to explain why a repeat winner struggles to add to their tally.

Or the excuse of because a player did not lead their team deep into the playoffs the previous season when they won MVP, that should count against them. Ridiculous – each season’s award is for that season alone and past failures, or successes for that matter, should be irrelevant.

And even though no one will say it publicly, the fact that Jokic is a foreigner will likely count against him as he knocks on the door of the rarefied air of the all-time legends who have won four MVPs or more, which is some list – Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (six), Michael Jordan and Bill Russell (five), Wilt Chamberlain and LeBron James (four).

Or potentially overtakes the other three-timers Larry Bird, Magic Johnson and Moses Malone.

Through his first 10 games of the season, Jokic is averaging a tick under a 30-point triple double – 29.7 points, 13.7 rebounds and 11.7 assists.

And these are not your Russell Westbrook/James Harden style stats padding from a few years back – he is doing pretty much everything for Denver while Aaron Gordon has been injured and Jamal Murray has been stuck in a form slump.

Jokic was out due to personal reasons for the NBA Cup clash with the struggling Pelicans on Saturday and the Nuggets went to water, losing 101-94, finding it hard in the Big Easy.

To put his 2024-25 greatness into perspective, his stat line of 37 points, 18 rebounds, 15 assists and three steals was the first time in NBA history that a player had scored that many points with 18 boards and 15 dimes.

And they needed every ounce of his production as they squeaked home 120-118 over last season’s Western Conference finalists.

Denver coach Michael Malone has been around the block for more than a decade as a head coach in the NBA and he’s in awe of what his centre is dishing out night after night.

“We’re all running out of words, adjectives, and ways to describe his greatness and his impact. I think the simple way to say it is he’s the best player in the world,” he said. “That’s the best way you can say it, in my opinion.”

If you look at the other genuine candidates for MVP, three players who have never won it – Boston’s Jayson Tatum,  OKC guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Mavericks star Luka Doncic – will be Jokic’s main threats for this season’s award.

Kevin Durant was off to a hot start in Phoenix but a calf strain has put him out for a couple of weeks and recent history suggests injuries will curtail his chances of a second MVP award before his illustrious career is over.

Giannis Antetokounmpo has been dominant for Milwaukee but the Bucks need to get their act together in a hurry. They are 4-8 and MVP awards are rarely handed out if your team is not near the very top of the standings.

Tatum and SGA have the greatest chance of the top individual honour via the best player on the best team narrative.

The Celtics have cruised to a 10-3 record with Tatum giving the champions 30 points, seven rebounds and nearly six assists per game to prove that his off-season Olympic slump was nothing more than a temporary dip.

SGA is averaging 28 points and six assists for the Thunder in their 11-2 surge to the top of the West. They have depth up the wazoo that can keep them at the top of the loaded conference despite injuries to their centres, Chet Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein.