Nuggets center Nikola Jokic is a finalist for the NBA MVP award. He has won it twice previously. Jack Dempsey/Associated Press
Nikola Jokic is one step closer to winning a third MVP award in the last four seasons. Victor Wembanyama is surely on his way to a trophy – or maybe two. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander might get a couple of his own as well.
The NBA revealed the finalists for most of the league’s postseason awards Sunday — and to no surprise, Jokic, the Denver Nuggets’ star, was one of the three top vote-getters for the top individual honor, the Michael Jordan trophy that gets presented to the league’s Most Valuable Player.
The others: Dallas’ Luka Doncic and Oklahoma City’s Gilgeous-Alexander. Last season’s MVP, Joel Embiid of the Philadelphia 76ers, was not eligible this year because of the new league rule saying players must appear in a certain number of games for award participation.
If he wins, Jokic would become the ninth player with three or more MVPs, joining Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (six), Jordan and Bill Russell (five), Wilt Chamberlain and LeBron James (four), and Moses Malone, Larry Bird and Magic Johnson (three).
Doncic and Gilgeous-Alexander would be first-time MVPs. Gilgeous-Alexander was a finalist for Most Improved Player last year – and this year, he’s in line for the MVP prize.
The awards are voted on by a panel of reporters and broadcasters who cover the league, and are based on regular season games only. Ballots were due last week before the start of the play-in tournament, and the league is expected to begin announcing winners periodically over the coming days.
Other award finalists are:
Rookie of the year: Victor Wembanyama, Spurs; Chet Holmgren, Thunder; Brandon Miller, Hornets.
Defensive player of the year: Bam Adebayo, Heat; Rudy Gobert, Jazz; Wembanyama, Spurs.
Most improved player: Tyrese Maxey, 76ers; Cody White, Bulls; Alperen Sengun, Rockets.
Sixth man of the year: Bobby Portis, Bucks; Malik Monk, Kings; Naz Reid, Timberwolves.
Clutch player of the year: Stephen Curry, Warriors; DeMar DeRozan, Bulls; Gilgeous-Alexander, Thunder.
Coach of the year: Mark Daigneault, Thunder; Chris Finch, Timberwolves; Jamahl Mosley, Magic.
SUNDAY’S GAMES
CLIPPERS 109, MAVERICKS 97: James Harden scored 28 points, Ivica Zubac had a double-double and Los Angeles defeated Luka Doncic and visiting Dallas in Game 1 of the first-round series.
Clippers forward Paul George celebrates after making a 3-pointer in the first half of their 109-97 win over the Mavericks in Game 1 of their first-round series on Sunday in Los Angeles. Ashley Landis/Associated Press
Harden hit 6 of 11 3-pointers and had eight assists. Zubac’s 20 points were a playoff career high to go with 15 rebounds. Paul George added 22 points. The Clippers outdid the Mavs at their own 3-point game, making 18 of 36 from long range to 10 of 33 for Dallas.
The Clippers had five players in double figures without Kawhi Leonard. The two-time NBA Finals MVP hasn’t played since March 31 because of inflammation in his surgically repaired right knee.
The teams were meeting in the playoffs for the third time in five years, with the Clippers having won both previous series.
Doncic led the Mavs with 33 points and 13 rebounds. Kyrie Irving had 31 points and seven rebounds, but the Mavs got little from their supporting cast.
Trailing by 22, the Mavs outscored the Clippers 10-2 to close to 102-88. Dallas was helped by a technical on Zubac and a flagrant-1 foul for his subsequent actions after a second free throw attempt by Doncic. In all, it cost the Clippers four points after Doncic scored when the Mavs retained possession.
But Harden hit another 3-pointer, George scored four in a row and the Clippers closed out the win.
BUCKS 109, PACERS 94: Damian Lillard scored all 35 of his points before halftime and Milwaukee withstood the absence of Giannis Antetokounmpo to defeat visiting Indiana in their Eastern Conference playoff opener.
The Bucks needed Lillard to step up without Antetokounmpo, whose return date is uncertain as he deals with a strained left calf that also caused him to miss Milwaukee’s final three regular-season games.
With Antetokounmpo watching from the bench, Lillard came through by setting a Bucks record for points in either half of a playoff game.
Pascal Siakam had 36 points and 13 rebounds for the Pacers, who hadn’t scored fewer than 99 points in the regular season while averaging a league-high 123.3 points per game. The Pacers shot 8 of 39 from 3-point range.
Indiana is making its first playoff appearance since 2020 and is seeking to get beyond the opening round for the first time since 2014.
Khris Middleton had 23 points and 10 rebounds for the Bucks, while Bobby Portis added 15 points and 11 rebounds.
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