Denver Nuggets’ Nikola Jokic captures 2nd straight NBA MVP award: Reports

Denver’s Nikola Jokic has won his second consecutive Most Valuable Player award after a season in which he finished with numbers never before seen in league history, a person familiar with the decision told The Associated Press.

The NBA was preparing to make the announcement official in the coming days, likely this week, according to the person who spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity Monday because the voting results have not been announced.

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ESPN, citing sources, first reported that Jokic would be named the MVP.

The Nuggets’ 7-foot center was the first player in league history to eclipse 2,000 points, 1,000 rebounds and 500 assists in a season. And that sort of dominance by the player nicknamed “Joker” helped convince voters that he should be the 13th player of the NBA’s exclusive MVP back-to-back club.

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The other finalists — who will finish second and third in some order — were Philadelphia center Joel Embiid, who led the league in scoring average, and two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo of the reigning champion Milwaukee Bucks.

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AP Basketball Writer Tim Reynolds, AP Sports Writer Arnie Stapleton and freelance writer Michael Kelly contributed to this report.