{"id":693025,"date":"2026-04-02T01:42:23","date_gmt":"2026-04-02T01:42:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/693025\/"},"modified":"2026-04-02T01:42:23","modified_gmt":"2026-04-02T01:42:23","slug":"michael-malone-doesnt-think-nikola-jokic-should-win-mvp-denver-sports","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/693025\/","title":{"rendered":"Michael Malone doesn’t think Nikola Jokic should win MVP \u2013 Denver Sports"},"content":{"rendered":"

Here we go again.<\/p>\n

Michael Malone went on ESPN Wednesday night and backed Shai Gilgeous-Alexander as the MVP \u2014 effectively telling the world his former superstar doesn\u2019t deserve the award.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s proven himself to be the best clutch player in the NBA,\u201d Malone said<\/a>. \u201cHe has a chance to be the first guard ever to average 30 PPG and shoot 55%. No disrespect to Wemby, Nikola Jokic, everybody else. I think SGA is incredible in his ability to impact the game in all shapes and forms.\u201d<\/p>\n

Mike Malone says SGA is the MVP:<\/p>\n

“He’s proven himself to be the best clutch player in the NBA\u2026 He has a chance to be the first guard ever to average 30 PPG and shoot 55%\u2026 No disrespect to Wemby, Nikola Jokic, everybody else. I think SGA is incredible in his ability to impact\u2026 pic.twitter.com\/kVH8zwRBrc<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 NBA Courtside (@NBA__Courtside) April 1, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

Sound familiar? Less than a year ago, Malone did this exact same thing during the Western Conference Finals before the award was announced. Nuggets fans went crazy. He walked it back. The storm passed.<\/p>\n

Now it\u2019s happening again, but this time before voters have cast their ballots.<\/p>\n

Nobody\u2019s arguing SGA isn\u2019t great. He\u2019s averaging 31.6 points, 6.5 assists, 4.4 rebounds and 1.4 steals while shooting 54.6 percent. If he holds those numbers, he becomes the first guard in NBA history to average 30 points and shoot 55%. He\u2019s the reigning MVP and a legitimate favorite to repeat as the leader of the league\u2019s best team.<\/p>\n

But let\u2019s look at the competition Malone is dismissing.<\/p>\n

Jokic is pacing to become the first player ever to lead the league in assists and rebounds via his 27.9 points, 12.9 rebounds and 10.8 assists per game.<\/p>\n

Victor Wembanyama and Luka Doncic\u00a0also have strong cases. But neither of those two were coached for years by Malone.<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s what\u2019s frustrating. Malone pined for Jokic for so long and owes so much of his success to him that going for somebody else feels a bit petty and like his prior talk was just tied to his paycheck.<\/p>\n

Malone buried Jokic in a \u201cno disrespect\u201d clause on national television. And the \u201cno disrespect\u201d construction is the oldest trick in the takes business. It\u2019s almost always the exact moment the disrespect arrives.<\/p>\n

You could make the case that without Jokic, Malone isn\u2019t even on ESPN right now to give him that \u201cno disrespect.\u201d<\/p>\n

Malone was let go last April<\/a> in one of the most stunning firings in recent memory, the simultaneous dismissal of both him and Calvin Booth that shocked the entire NBA. He landed on his feet, got a good television gig and has been an entertaining watch.<\/p>\n

But these takes keep surfacing. They keep hitting the same fanbase the same way. And Jokic \u2014 who is doing things no center in NBA history has ever sustained this deep into a career \u2014 keeps getting the short end of it from the guy who benefited most from his greatness.<\/p>\n

Jokic won\u2019t respond. He never does. He\u2019ll probably go out and drop a 27-13-10 and move on with his life.<\/p>\n

Denver fans notice, though. They always do. And let\u2019s not forget Malone has a Nuggets tattoo on his arm just like many of you may sport.<\/p>\n

Follow @Shapalicious<\/a><\/p>\n

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