“You can say Steph, KD, Giannis, then I’m going with the Joker right there” - Jalen Rose believes Nikola Jokic is one of the top 5 players in the NBA this season

The search for the next MVP candidate is on, and while Stephen Curry leads the race, Denver Nuggets' Nikola Jokic is not far behind. Jokic is the reigning MVP following several monster performances in the 2020-21 NBA season and is dropping MVP-caliber numbers this season as well.

Sports analyst Jalen Rose has taken notice of the Denver Nuggets big man and his dominance this season, ranking Jokic as one of the best players in the NBA right now. Speaking on the Jalen and Jacoby show, he said:

"Let's take the time to make sure when human beings talk about the NBA and they start saying who the best player is, make sure his name [Nikola Jokic] get mentioned real quick."

"You can say Steph, and then KD, Giannis, then I'm going with the Joker right there right now."

Nikola Jokic is placed in elite company right now, and rightly so. On Wednesday night against the New Orleans Pelicans, he registered a season-high 39 points and added 11 rebounds and 11 assists to lead the Nuggets to a 120-114 overtime victory.

Although Golden State Warriors' Curry and Brooklyn Nets' Kevin Durant are the top two MVP frontrunners, Nikola Jokic is in the second tier alongside Milwaukee Bucks' Giannis Antetokounmpo.

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Nikola Jokic is single-handedly willing the Nuggets to victories in the 2021-22 season

Nikola Jokic #15 of the Denver Nuggets celebrates after a basket against the San Antonio Spurs

The Nuggets are currently under .500 with a 12-13 run and sit 8th in the Western Conference standings. Although it has been a struggle for the team, they would have surely had a worse record if not for Nikola Jokic.

The Joker has missed five games so far due to a suspension for his role in the altercation with Miami Heat's Markieff Morris as he also nurses a right wrist sprain. In those games, the Nuggets had a 1-4 record.

Injuries have ravaged the Nuggets, and it is a surprise to see them in the middle of the standings as things could have been a lot worse. The team is missing their co-star Jamal Murray, who tore his ACL late last season and has been unavailable since.

By the end of November, it was announced that rising star Michael Porter Jr. will miss the rest of the season due to a back injury. With injuries plaguing the team, the responsibility of getting wins every other night has fallen solely on Nikola Jokic.

Regardless, the 26-year-old big man has risen to the occasion and helped his team get as many victories as possible. In 20 games played, he holds an 11-9 record while averaging 26.1 points, 13.4 rebounds, and 7.2 assists. He leads the team in all major statistical categories, including steals (1.2) and blocks (0.7).