The Denver Nuggets find themselves in unfamiliar territory after the first two games of their NBA playoff series against the Minnesota Timberwolves. The Timberwolves have put Denver on the brink of elimination, forcing the Denver Nuggets into a high-pressure situation where they must claw back from an 0-2 deficit.
Friday’s Game 3 feels like a must-win for the Denver Nuggets, who need to find a way to avoid a devastating sweep while breaking the so-called “NBA MVP curse.”
The Curse: MVP Winners Falling Short in Playoffs
In the last five years, only one NBA MVP has advanced past the second round of the playoffs. For Nikola Jokic, who’s captured his third MVP title this season, the challenge is monumental. Jokic is staring down the possibility of becoming the fifth straight MVP winner in the past six years not to reach the conference finals.
- Nikola Jokic (2023-24): TBD
- Joel Embiid (2022-23): Lost in the second round
- Nikola Jokic (2021-22): Lost in the second round
- Nikola Jokic (2020-21): Lost in the second round
- Giannis Antetokounmpo (2019-20): Lost in Eastern Conference finals
What’s worse, Jokic has never had a teammate earn All-Star, All-NBA, or All-Defensive honors during his MVP campaigns, setting him apart from other MVP winners since 1984 (courtesy of Tom Haberstroh).
The Staggering Historical Context
Should Jokic and the Denver Nuggets falter against the Timberwolves, it would continue a worrying trend. CBS Sports senior research editor Doug Clawson points out that this would extend the streak of MVP winners not reaching the conference finals to six seasons, surpassing Giannis Antetokounmpo’s achievement in 2019.
Additionally, the streak of an MVP winner failing to reach the NBA Finals would stretch to eight years, with Stephen Curry being the last to achieve this feat in 2016. Finally, if the Denver Nuggets cannot win an NBA championship this season, it will make nine consecutive seasons since an MVP has led his team to a title, marking the longest streak in league history.
Nikola Jokic leaves Timberwolves' defenders lost with his smooth footwork 🥵pic.twitter.com/qLXiEwNLkw
— BasketNews (@BasketNews_com) May 11, 2024
The Denver Nuggets’ Struggles Against Minnesota
Despite Jokic’s regular-season dominance, the Denver Nuggets are struggling against the Timberwolves’ defense and offense alike. Jokic faces relentless challenges in the frontcourt, with Jamal Murray unable to escape defenders like Jaden McDaniels and Nickiel Alexander-Walker.
Denver’s offensive rhythm has been disrupted, as they’ve failed to break the 100-point barrier in the first two games.
On the other hand, Anthony Edwards is playing like an unstoppable force, slicing through Denver’s defense effortlessly and highlighting why the Wolves seem perfectly designed to dethrone the Denver Nuggets.
Breaking the Curse
While there’s no clear explanation for this apparent “MVP curse,” Denver still holds its fate in its hands. Game 3 represents their opportunity to rewrite recent history. Jokic must rise above the challenges of MVP winners before him and lead Denver past Minnesota to keep the Denver Nuggets’ championship dreams alive.
Is this just a historical quirk, or is there something more to the pattern of MVP winners falling short in the postseason? One thing is certain: Jokic and the Denver Nuggets are eager to prove they have the resilience and talent to make it happen.
