Hindi pa rin natitibag sa pangunguna si Nikola Jokic ng Denver Nuggets sa Kia MVP race ng NBA ngayong season.
Ngunit tila nais na munang pagpahingahin ni coach Michael Malone ang manlalaro sa mga natitirang laban ng Nuggets sa regular season upang paghandaan ang NBA playoffs, bagay na tinututulan ni Jokic.
“Nikola and I have been together for six years,” ani Malone matapos ang 117-112 na panalo kontra Charlotte Hornets.
“We have a tremendous relationship: coach-player, friend, whatever you want to call it. So, we’ve been having an ongoing discussion about potentially reducing minutes, potentially sitting out games,” dagdag nito base sa ulat sa NBA website.
Ayon pa kay Malone, bagama't nauunawaan nito ang kagustuhan ni Jokic na maglaro sa lahat ng kanilang laban, kailangan din umano nilang ikonsidera ang magiging kampanya ng koponan sa postseason.
“We have already sustained enough injuries. We don’t need the MVP, the clear-cut MVP, to have any injuries going into the postseason,” saad ni Malone.
Umabot sa 12 laro ang hindi nasalihan ni Monte Morris dahil sa hamstring injury habang patuloy na may iniinda sina Will Barton (right hamstring) at P.J. Dozier (right adductor).
Hindi na rin nagamit ng Nuggets ang serbisyo ni Jamal Murray nang tuluyang magpaalam sa season dahil sa torn ACL.
Samantala, nakumpleto ni Jokic ang lahat ng laro ng kaniyang koponan kabilang na ang panalo nila kontra Minnesota Timberwolves, 114-103, kung saan tumipa ito ng 31 puntos at 14 rebounds sa 32 minutong paglalaro.
“I wanted to play every game as long as I’m healthy. Everybody’s talking to me. So, I’m going to think about it. My goal and my hope is to play every game,” pahayag ni Jokic.
Dahil sa kaniyang 30-point double-double performance kontra Hornets, napanatili nito ang paghawak sa unang puwesto sa MVP ladder.
“I can just say that I think this season is probably the best season I’ve had in my life. The team, we’re playing good the whole season. We had ups and downs, but mainly we are going in the right direction. If it happens, [it] happens,” sabi ng basketbolista.
Narito ang Top 10 sa 2020-2021 Kia Race to the MVP ladder ngayong linggo.
1. Nikola Jokic, Denver Nuggets
2. Joel Embiid, Philadelphia 76ers
3. Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks
4. Luka Doncic, Dallas Mavericks
5. Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors
6. Damian Lillard, Portland Trail Blazers
7. Chris Paul, Phoenix Suns
8. Rudy Gobert, Utah Jazz
9. Julius Randle, New York Knicks
10. Devin Booker, Phoenix Suns
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