NBA Top 10 Countdown: One - Nikola Jokic, the Serbian king still owns the throne
This time, there's no excuse: Nikola Jokic has been voted Most Valuable Player for the third time in four years. And the one year he didn't take the award, he scooped the Larry O'Brien and Finals MVP awards to boot.
He is not just the best player of the season, but of the last four years, no question about it, as the Serbian pivot always seems to have a hell of a margin over his competition when it counts.
But having the best player in the world in your squad is not enough to win the title. When the role players aren't up to scratch, the MVP can't win games on his own (well, he can, but not all season and certainly not in every playoff game).
It happened to Michael Jordan, it happened to LeBron James, and it happened to the 'Joker' in the last playoffs when the Timberwolves managed to undermine Denver's dreams of a double after edging Game 7 in the conference semi-finals.
However, Denver's management hasn't changed its base. No more Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, the arrival of Russell Westbrook as the sixth man... and that's it. Enough to be a contender? Yes, since Jokic is there, making his team a title contender instantly. But the question still remains: Can the Serb get even better?
The answer is undoubtedly yes. Too easy kills easily, and maybe, just maybe, the Joker's nonchalance played a few tricks on him last season. But never mind, he's still the best player in the world, delighting NBA audiences night after night, and has every chance of picking up a fourth MVP to join the league's true greats.
We're counting above all on the spirit of revenge, after a narrow playoff exit and his Olympic failure, we think we're going to see a masterclass season from Jokic.
2023/24 stats: 26.4 points, 9 assists, 12.4 rebounds, 58.3% shooting, 35.9% three-pointers
Target for 2024/25: 30 points / 13 rebounds / 10 assists / MVP / NBA title