Unstoppable Joker: The Shocking MVP Streak That Could Have Rewritten NBA History

Lately, it seems the debate over the greatest player in NBA history has eased down a bit, especially since LeBron James, despite several outstanding individual seasons, no longer accumulates the team success he did a few seasons ago when he reached the Finals in eight consecutive seasons.

Michael Jordan, at least for now, remains untouchable on the throne, while names like Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Bill Russell are slowly being forgotten by a new wave of fans. This is understandable given how many years have passed and how new stars have taken the league by storm. One of those new stars is Nikola Jokic, who is already considered the GOAT by his former teammate, Michael Porter Jr..

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“I’m going Nikola Jokic,” Porter Jr. said. “The reason I say that is because he could’ve won MVP five years in a row. Can you name another player that could’ve won MVP five years in a row? …I didn’t get to see Michael Jordan day in and day out. I get to see Nikola Jokic every game, every day do this. I’m saying him. But obviously, I’d say LeBron, MJ, they’re up there.”

Jokic falls short of the greatest legends in the game

Two things stand out immediately. First, this summer has been full of bold statements from MPJ, which many take less and less seriously. Second, he has played his entire career with Jokic and has seen firsthand the unprecedented things Joker does on the NBA hardwood.

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Just looking at last season alone, Jokic didn’t win MVP, but he became only the third player in league history, after Oscar Robertson and Russell Westbrook, to finish a season averaging a triple-double. He also scored 61 points against the Minnesota Timberwolves to set the record for the highest-scoring triple-double in history and became the first player ever with a 30-20-20 game. Unreal.

Yeah, that’s just last season. Jokic has won three MVP awards, WCF Finals MVP, NBA Finals MVP and an NBA championship – the first in Denver Nuggets history. He’s the first center in 20 years, since Shaquille O’Neal, to win an MVP award. Joker also currently holds the highest career PER ever at 28.51, ahead of MJ (27.91) and LBJ (26.88), which speaks volumes.

Player efficiency rating is perhaps the most reliable statistic for measuring a player’s efficiency and impact on the game. But with only one chip so far, the Serbian center still falls short of the greatest legends in the game. Hakeem Olajuwon and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, for example, posted incredible stats at the center position and generally won more titles, while also dominating on both ends of the floor.

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Jokic is simply different

Still, Jokic has proven himself on the biggest stage. In the NBA Finals, he led Denver to a 4-1 series win over the Miami Heat, becoming the first player since late Kobe Bryant to average more than 30 points and seven assists in the Finals. How unstoppable he is may be best described by his Serbian NT teammate Nikola Jovic, who reflected on Jokic’s Finals performance.

“I didn’t play much in the NBA Finals against Jokic and the Denver Nuggets, but I was there for the whole series. The whole scouting report and defense is about him, and he still ends the game with 30 points, 20 rebounds and 10 assists after 100 games in the season in the fifth game of the Finals.” Jovic addressed.

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The impression is clear – Jokic is unguardable. He will almost always get an assist if double-teamed, and if you guard him one-on-one, expect him to score over 30 points almost every given night. He’s just that good. Yet, his mindset is focused entirely on team success, which may ultimately keep him from being in the GOAT conversation, since most players in that category have an enormous ego. Jokic is simply different, and if he manages to win a few more rings before his time is up, he will definitely enter those debates.

Related: “I’m the original stretch 4” – Derrick Coleman compares himself to Jokic and prime Cousins

This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Sep 2, 2025, where it first appeared in the Latest News section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.