Nikola Jokic

Nikola Jokic totaled 32 points (13-29 FG, 1-6 3PT, 5-9 FT), twenty rebounds, ten assists, and one block in the Nuggets’ 116-102 loss to the Suns on Friday.

Fantasy Impact

Jokic prepares for a "fight" after the Nuggets' loss to the Suns in Game Three. He posted his strongest effort this series in what seemed to be a one-person "show," considering the starting rotation’s inadequate production. The MVP managed to get better with each game in this series, a trend that could continue tonight but hopefully with a different outcome. Although we may reap significant benefit from what could be an admirable "last-stand," by the "Joker" it could be an unfortunate waste should the team not step up and do what it takes to "fight" another day.

Nikola Jokic totaled 24 points (9-17 FG, 1-3 3PT, 5-6 FT), thirteen rebounds, six assists, and one steal in the Nuggets’ 123-98 loss to the Suns on Wednesday.

Fantasy Impact

Jokic will look to do more after the Nuggets' loss to the Suns, as the MVP has been somewhat limited in his production this series. It could be challenging to ask a man who has given everything to give more, but that is seemingly the situation the Nuggets find themselves in as they try to avoid going down three games. Jokic will look to ignite his team to put up a better effort as they head home to Denver; now may be the perfect time to buy "shares" of the superstar at low potential ownership, with Joel Embiid owning the spotlight.

Nikola Jokic totaled 22 points (10-23 FG, 2-5 3 PT), nine rebounds, three assists, three blocks, and two steals in the Nuggets’ 122-105 loss to the Suns on Monday.

Fantasy Impact

Jokic scored 22.0 points in the Nuggets’ loss to the Suns while also "stuffing" each performance category of the stat-sheet. As the teams get more acquainted with one another, we should see players fall into their regular rhythm; this could be especially true for Jokic as he goes against a team with more personnel that can challenge his production than the Trailblazers had in round one. One game shouldn't be enough to put you off of Jokic, but it should be enough to get you thinking about possible alternatives for building more value into your lineups if he cannot pivot back towards expanding on his high level of play.

Denver Nuggets All-Star C Nikola Jokic has officially won the 2020-21 NBA's Most Valuable Player Award, per Shams Charania.

Fantasy Impact

Jokic averaged 26.4 points, 10.8 rebounds, and 8.3 assists per game during the regular season to lead the Nuggets to the third seed in the Western Conference. Currently, Jokic is living up to the MVP honors, averaging 31.4 points and 10.3 rebounds through seven games played this postseason. The seven-foot Serbian is extremely fluid along the perimeter and dominant in the paint, ushering in a new style of play that other bigs around the league are attempting to emulate. Jokic will get a night to enjoy his MVP before facing Devin Booker and the two-seeded Phoenix Suns in Game 2 of the Western Conference Semifinals on Wednesday.

Nikola Jokic totaled 36 points (13-22 FG, 2-4 3PT, 8-8 FT), eight rebounds, six assists, and one steal in the Nuggets’ 126-115 win over the Trailblazers on Thursday.

Fantasy Impact

Jokic is ready for the Suns after the Nuggets' series-clinching win over the Trailblazers. He had a masterful first round as he averaged 35.0 minutes, 33.0 points, 10.5 rebounds, 4.5 assists, 0.7 blocks, and 0.5 steals per game while shooting 53.4 percent from the floor and 43.1 percent from beyond the arc. The upcoming series with the Suns should prove interesting, especially for the first couple of games as the teams figure each other out. "Default" play will more than likely be on full display, as both teams will throw out the norm before really building in the nuances into their game script. It could be risky to invest in any unique value at this stage as upside could be limited, but it should be an excellent time to invest in the stars of the slate. Jokic isn’t unstoppable, but he sure is pretty close to it as he could be poised for another big series if the Suns can't contain some aspect of his game, forcing him to be more one-dimensional in his contribution. Regardless, fire Jokic up with complete confidence and enjoy experiencing his game evolve throughout the series.