Giannis Antetokounmpo should win league MVP for the third straight time

Giannis Antetokounmpo’s season compared to Nikola Jokić

Without question, Nikola Jokić is having one of the most impressive seasons in recent memory. His passing ability is highlight-worthy and his overall basketball IQ is not only impressive but it’s contagious. He’s the kind of player who not only makes his teammates better, he also makes them more unselfish. If the best player on the team is willing to make the extra pass, why shouldn’t everyone else be also?

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That being said, “Big Honey” is not having a better season than The Greek Freak. While Jokić is amazing on offense, he’s average at best on defense. Giannis, on the other hand, is dominant on both ends of the floor. Last season, he not only made First Team All-Defense, he also walked away with the Defensive Player of The Year award. This year, his defensive intensity is just as high as it was last year. Coach Mike Budenhlzer knows he can count on his best player to anchor his defense. Coach Mike Malone of the Denver Nuggets does not enjoy that same luxury.

There have been many debates over the years about the criteria for league MVP and how it should be defined. There have been great payers in NBA history who’ve concluded their career with only one MVP award in spite of the fact they may have been the best player in the league for a period of years. Giannis Antetokounmpo is scoring at a high clip, leading his team to home court in the playoffs and dominating on the defensive side of the ball. No matter how you define most valuable player, Giannis fits the description. He should be crowned the MVP of the league this year, for the third time in a row.