Nuggets big man Jokic wins MVP for 2nd-straight season

Nikola Jokic put up numbers never seen before in NBA history. Not from Wilt. Not from Kareem. Not from “Air Jordan.” Not from LeBron.

With a historic season, the Denver Nuggets big man earned his second straight Most Valuable Player award, a person with knowledge of the decision told The Associated Press on Monday.

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

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

The 7-foot center became 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.

The other finalists — who will finish second and third in some order — were Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid, who led the league in scoring average, and two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo of the reigning champion Milwaukee Bucks.

The 27-year-old Jokic averaged 27.1 points, 13.8 rebounds and 7.9 assists on a team that was missing two max players in

Jamal Murray (ACL) and

Michael Porter Jr.

(back). Required to carry the load night in and out, the big man from Sombor, Serbia, guided the Nuggets to a 48-win season.

Jokic joins rarefied company in winning for a second straight season. The other players to win two in a row include Antetokounmpo, Stephen Curry, LeBron James (twice), Steve Nash, Tim Duncan, Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, Moses Malone and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (twice). Larry Bird, Wilt Chamberlain and Bill Russell each won the award in three straight seasons.

Next year, Jokic will have his chance at a threepeat as well.

Suns: Phoenix coach

Monty Williams said the

NBA should consider having a special section in the stands reserved for the families of visiting teams in the wake of Chris Paul’s family being harassed during Sunday’s playoff game in Dallas.

The incident happened during Game 4 of the Western Conference semifinals between the Dallas Mavericks and Suns.

ESPN reported that members of Paul’s family had been harassed by fans and that some in the crowd made physical contact with them. The fan was ejected.

The Mavericks said in a statement on Monday the offending fans had been banned from the arena for eight months.