RJ & Perk enter FIERCE DEBATE over Nikola Jokic, stat padding, MVP & more! | NBA Today

Richard Jefferson and Kendrick Perkins get into it on NBA Today discussing Nikola Jokic and Denver Nuggets, Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks, the NBA MVP and more.
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[@TheGoogergieger]

Jokic has had more than 30 games where he has come up one point, rebound or assist from a triple double. It happens so often there is a term for it. It’s called the sombor double. If he actually stat padded he would have thirty more triple doubles. Stat padding is someone jacking up 30 shots to get 30 points but Perk has no problem with that 🙄. This is an insulting take by Perkins that has no basis in reality.

[@draganmarkovic491]

There were games when he was missing 1-2 assists or a rebound or whatever but the game was won and he sits on a bench not overexerting himself for a triple double...

[@KClouisville]

@@draganmarkovic491 Reminds of a Bird game where he was a steal away from a quadruple double and sat out the entire 4th quarter against The Jazz I believe. Someone mentioned it to him on the bench and he basically said "Why would I go back in? The game is over", as they were blowing the Jazz out.

[@draganmarkovic491]

@@KClouisville I believe that Jokic wants a triple double and that he likes achieving them. But I honestly don't think that he is chasing them and I am sure that he is not chasing them at the expense of his team or victory, latter is obvious as they are 24-0 with him having a triple double...

[@evanduffy8130]

Not saying I disagree with your point but I wouldn’t say shooting 30 shots is a great example of stat padding… I’d look at rebound and assists (especially boards) as padding. Lots of players chuck up tons of shots because that’s how they’re used to playing lol

[@draganmarkovic491]

@@evanduffy8130 When it comes to triple doubles yes. I don't think there is a player who can have 10 assists and rebounds but struggles with having 10 points. But stats padding isn't strictly tied to triple or double doubles. It's about stats. And most players are taking some unreasonable shots just to have their 20-30 points. Of course it's a thin line as great players can make impossible shots but that's why most great players are around 45% from the field...

[@kylehowe6761]

The fact that Perkins has a mvp vote is actually disgusting

[@jihigh482]

For real

[@marcianusvalerius1992]

He revealed his anti-white racial bias for the whole world to see and he has a vote to decide who gets the MVP. Absolutely ridiculous. But hey, black folks can get away with that as usual.

[@Primitive_Code]

He voting for Embiid lol.

[@Bte270]

What did he say that was wrong?

[@CoachTC23]

Facts 🤦‍♂️ what a joke.

[@davidanoka-ayembe4258]

Perk: “says Jokic shouldn’t be MVP cause he statpads” Also perk: and I’m not knocking Jokic for statpadding

[@amrithbharadwaj4945]

Also Perk: Embiid should win it because he's leading the league in scoring. (Which is also a stat)

[@jasontyson3658]

Also Perk, Russ should be MVP when he was def stat padding on low efficiency for triple doubles, yelling at teammates to shoot so he could get to 10 assists etc

[@gokilokis]

The two can’t be true.

[@kenrush9483]

😂😂

[@KClouisville]

@@jasontyson3658 And stealing a shitload of rebounds too.

[@BoldJumper]

There’s honestly no debate. Jokic is MVP and that’s it.

[@svengaliUG]

Jokic is not the MVP. The best player on the best team is the MVP. It's Giannis

[@lightbulbchannel721]

​@@svengaliUG Giannis is not MVP because they won couple games WITHOUT GIANNIS end of discussion

[@BoldJumper]

@@svengaliUG Giannis has only 3 triple doubles this year. Jokić is on 24 and and is liable to put one up every time he plays. As a matter of fact, Jokic is averaging a triple double and has kept a hold on the number one seed in the west almost all year. The Nuggets are undefeated this year when Jokić has a triple double. It’s not even close this season between Giannis and Jokić. Jokić will be MVP for the 3rd time in a row.

[@zivibrzoumrimlad]

@@svengaliUG Giannis is Greek btw and you are Nigerian

[@jacobkadar4519]

@@BoldJumper giannis is the MVP just like even tho lebron didn’t win MVP during his prime every year HE was the true MVP. Difference between giannis Jokic is the defense that giannis brings to the table every game. There’s two sides to the game

[@macman2141]

Perkins is one of the worse analysts on television…this faulty “Stat padding” argument he is making is making him look like a Clown 🤡 😂

[@gdobservation]

Especially when they are undefeated when he gets a triple-double.

[@aquill1]

Let's be real. Perk has been a clown long before his asinine jokic comment.

[@lexis4490]

It's official. Perkins is trying to change the narrative of Jokic in sports media so he won't get MVP.

[@edwinfcapidos]

And the media gets the vote.

[@jos234]

Why should he win if he never gets to the finals? That should count

[@EJ-gx9hl]

@@jos234 it’s a regular season award

[@OhYummmmp]

@@jos234 answer me this, how many teams have gotten to the finals without 2 all stars the last 10 seasons?

[@seriuslyB]

@@jos234With this logic, Embiid should? When has he ever sniffed a finals? Since Embiid is his frontrunner

[@rankoorovic7904]

Funniest thing is that Jokic deserves the MVP award this year more then he did last year.

[@jkjkISHIM]

I agree. But Embiid🇨🇲 deserved it last year

[@robX931]

​@@jkjkISHIMAgree. I thought Embid should've won last year. Jokic deserves it this year, especially if Nuggets keep the number 1 seed.

[@rankoorovic7904]

@@jkjkISHIM The MVP award is always been more politics then court performance

[@SSJRome]

The media knows it that’s why they churning out these narratives now about him

[@d-mo8902]

I know, and people forget he literally created a club last year. 1st in the history of the sport to put those numbers up

[@scoliva]

Even if the Nuggets are stat padding, they're 24-0 everytime he gets a triple-double. How dare they come up with a plan that works 100% of the time 😅

[@unggading6990]

Win padding is a crime. 🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@Rogue_Centurion]

Yeah the NBA must stop them somehow lol

[@jim_bo_brown9198]

People like Perkins show that just because you played doesn’t mean you know ball. We gotta stop giving him a platform

[@bobhanson1037]

He's just a jealous troll.

[@YinkaKaris]

Who is we? And he has a point!!

[@Jauqri4754]

He is right

[@kylehowe6761]

@@YinkaKaris no he doesn’t…you only agree with him because you’re black and you dislike the big white guy

[@bigguwop9654]

Please shutup y'all reusing the same points from different videos over and over again. Denver coaching staff put jokic in games too stat pad in games up 20 end of discussion it's true what perk said

[@TheMissiIe]

Perk has to be the most delusional analyst, last year he said Ja Morant was MVP most of the year, now he's calling Jokic a stat padder for averaging a triple double... BUT he praises Westbrick for averaging a triple double 4 times..

[@MrTaxSeason]

thats his point. if westbrook can avg one for 4 years and only win one mvp why is jokic getting credit for it

[@kurokuro8626]

​@@MrTaxSeason because of certain factors one is efficiency, two is how it translates to wins, do know how often jokic have games where he was 1 assist or 1 rebound away from triple double? Its because hes not chasing it, them stats just reflects his play style unlike westbrick who literally shout at his teammates to shoot

[@betoperez8634]

@@MrTaxSeason because jokic is a much better player than westbrick

[@princesally743]

@@betoperez8634 now his name is Westbrook not Westbrick and aside from that Westbrook's teams win 70 percent of the games where he gets a triple double

[@unggading6990]

@@MrTaxSeason Are you black?

[@SuperThumpasaurus]

The Nuggets are 82-18 when Jokic records a triple double. They're 24-0 this season when Jokic gets his trip-dub. That by defintion is not a function of stat padding. Jokic is the focal point and is the beating heart of the Nuggets. He's earned two MVP's and will deserve it if he wins a third.

[@milkyway8221]

I'm pretty sure you can _win_ games and still 'stat pad'. They're not mutually exclusive. The fact that his cockroach fans turn into absolute babies towards the SLIGHT possibility that Nikola Joke-of-the-decade may or may not be 'stat padding' is hilarious. Keep crying.

[@rm7588]

Whats his record in playoffs when getting triple double he got swept by the suns with everyone except Jamal Murray if Murray the difference between getting swept and winning a series he should be MVP

[@timboshanghai6785]

They were missing MPJ too, he doesn’t even have an all star in his roster right now, what u talking about

[@Bottyduck88]

@@rm7588 That like saying giannis only won the championship two years ago with middleton and lost in the playoffs because middleton wasnt there so middleton should be MVP not giannis.

[@SuperThumpasaurus]

@@rm7588 ...They were without Murray & MPJ, whom accounted for 40ppg.

[@nikolabockor4989]

Did he just compare the 80's Celtics team with a team that had Campazzo and Austin Rivers in the backcourt?!? 🤨

[@saurock]

What?? He also had great players like Morris and Barton. 🙃

[@unggading6990]

Hahahaha! He is black, what do you expect?

[@mighelio]

Austin Rivers > Perkins

[@PaperTigerLive]

Perkins stat-padding for that triple single

[@stakknation123]

😂😂

[@erikponciano]

and fails most of the time with 0-0-0

[@pavelgeorgiev2066]

he stat tanking

[@js1241]

Perk digging the hole deeper and deeper.. 😂😂😂

[@shadow33103]

Nope! Jokic needs to stop getting bounced out the playoffs! Never seen the WCF!

[@gustavofring3899]

@@shadow33103 please stop this ignorance…

[@sizzer1967]

For real 🤣🤣🤣

[@markotoshich7676]

​@@shadow33103 You have never seen WCF? You should watch NBA basketball, it is pretty fun actually. Your statements will make more sense if you know what you are talking about. I can recommend 2020 WCF. You can enjoy Jokic and the Nuggets playing in WCF against 2020 champions LA Lakers.

[@shadow33103]

@@markotoshich7676 Oh you mean the LERBON’s Championship Team that EVERYONE wants to to discredit. But not Jokic who got scored on! For the game winner! Ok…

[@SSJRome]

Jokic gets a triple double as a consequence of his style of play and how good his teams offense is. The shooting percentages literally prove it lol he’s shooting 63% from the field and he’s not jacking up shots either lol calling it statpadding is backhanded.

[@lexis4490]

And his skill. Jokic on the Warriors, he would have MORE triple doubles.

[@dunningkruger5823]

Hello everyone, please help spread awareness that it's pronounced "niikola yOH-kitch" and not nikOla yO-kitch. You are doing a noble service for American society. Thank you, and God bless America.

[@zemljajeravna5336]

He is playing efficiently, efficient basketball, it's not stat padding it's playing smart and efficient.

[@PlanetJigobotTV]

Until the playoffs come about.

[@SSJRome]

@@PlanetJigobotTV that’s a different discussion

[@TheMissiIe]

Perk acting like Embiid doesn't stay in games until he gets 30 points

[@1GOBIRDS1]

Nah Perk just wrong.... Nuggets need Joker to get a tripple double just like the 76ers need Embiid to put up 30 a game

[@taxationistheft7]

@@1GOBIRDS1nah embiid literally stays in games to get points, so does lebron, Westbrook, yet no one calls them out for it but oddly when jokic does it it’s bad lol

[@ryangaire950]

perkins is an embarassment to the entire sports industry and game of basketball this is ridiculous

[@cleigh113]

Jokic does not ask for the MVP, he is awarded it. Another player last year and this ( Figure it out) campaigned endlessly for the MVP enlisting his friends and trainers. No other player ( just look at both teams at the end of a game) ends a game bleeding, looking like he was in a knife fight. Jokic is the regular season MVP this season and deserves it.

[@burabojan]

Other centers could be bleeding too, it's almost impossible to see that on darker skin like Embiid's for example. But I agree about other things that you're saying

[@julianperry4242]

Hey Perk: Jokic got a ring and Finals MVP. He has more credentials than you now, bud.

[@seanryan7515]

Came back after the stat padder won an NBA Championship

[@nbafanboy1967]

The narrative on Jokic is gonna change so fast if they win the title this year, hopefully then people will give him his respect.

[@svengaliUG]

They're not winning a title. The narrative will be vicous

[@chriskuhn6130]

@@svengaliUG Who's your pick bro? Obviously not the Nuggets, but who?

[@challenger516]

Jokic and Embiid always choke in the playoffs

[@squad_numba3YT]

It’s never gonna happen he needs another all star type play but I don’t think he wants another cus his stats gonna drop

[@ClaxtonBay123]

​@@chriskuhn6130 The Celtics!

[@romari86]

Bird had couple of hall of famers next to him while making those post season runs during his MVP years. Jokic is still to play with another ALL STAR! Nobody here thought of mentioning that?

[@drakehammond27]

rj didn’t want to mention THAT context smh

[@marcomcdowell8861]

they weren't hall of famers while they were playing, they were great players. The HOF happened after they retired. If Murray or Gordon go into the hall, what then.

[@iamrich4274]

Man they got 3 borderline all stars

[@romari86]

@@iamrich4274 They do now, and they are no1 in the west and Jokic is the best player. What’s your point?

[@456rep]

@@marcomcdowell8861 wrong take a lot of great players calling a hof by many while they still playing cause they super consistent murray and gordon never a consistent as a players

[@zacharyhair7601]

You know by Jefferson’s reaction how he and all REAL basketball fans feel about Perk

[@nikolanikolic6505]

How about to give Bird this Nuggets roster and give Jokic that Celtics roster full of HOFs and look it from that perspective? What would Bird do in a post season with Facundo Camazzo and Austin Rivers as his backcourt? This is not 1v1 game, it's 5v5...

[@carlt.88]

I was just thinking about Bird and the Celtics. I was imagining Luka and Jokic playing together with The Celtics.

[@raydolla]

Jokic never won a championship, more or less played in a Finals yet. Which Larry Bird are you talking about 84-87 Larry Bird ??? I would say he would take Jokic’s Nuggets team to the Finals. Let’s see if the Nuggets even get to the WCF this yr before the crazy comparisons of apple vs an orange.

[@nikolanikolic6505]

@@raydolla Bird would take Facundo Campazzo, Austin Rivers, Will Barton and Monte Morris to finals last 2 years? Dude, you better stfu.

[@nikolanikolic6505]

@@raydolla Jokic never played with another allstar. Which ATG would take his team to playoffw with 2 max players injured? How many titles LeBron or MJ had before they played with Pippen and Wade?

[@raydolla]

@@nikolanikolic6505 i had a feeling you would come back with disrespect. I said the Nuggets roster of this yr. If you want to single out those players in the backcourt is fine w me. Yeah add them up with Larry Bird from 1984, one of the greatest forwards of all time and they’re going to the Finals in the West this yr. Not the last 2. Please learn how to read.

[@cyber6sapien]

"Stat padding" is a term that's used in the context of a player going for personal numbers regardless of whether or not those numbers help the team. Like when Bron was chasing the scoring title last season despite the fact that the Lakers were losing games. I didn't hear Perkins bring up 'stat padding' then.

[@jwill9237]

He's only bringing it up because a "white" player is doing it and isnt the definition of statpadding

[@dusanvuckovic17]

20..20 is the number of times this season Jokic has been a couple of assists/rebounds/points shy of a triple double. Stat padders don't miss by one or two.

[@leetraviusmckay2919]

Jokic: “It’s cool when they do it, it’s a problem when I do it”

[@larronmatheson4521]

That's westbrook saying that

[@kylehowe6761]

Of course your name is letravius lmao

[@shadow33103]

@@larronmatheson4521 You know Westbrook ain’t going to get the white treatment 😂

[@ClaxtonBay123]

Who is THEY?!?

[@elchicomedallasno3962]

@@ClaxtonBay123 ask westbrook

[@charliemckay2293]

Perkins pretending Jokic didn't average 31 15 and 6 in the playoffs last year when his second best player was Will Barton

[@cobi2502]

doesn't mean much when you get eliminated in the first round.

[@jackmurphy9579]

@@cobi2502 Explain how it's Jokic fault for losing in the first

[@reallybruh3921]

Seen games where denver staff put jokic in games too juice up his stats while up 20 Perk gotta expose this defensive liability

[@matthewpejkovic183]

Kendrick Perkins has become the new Ryan Hollins of NBA "analysis."

[@jihigh482]

Kendrick*

[@markabad2275]

Pendrick Kerkins*

[@yomma4619]

This aged well for Perkins... Lol. Denver Champions 🏆 2023! Jokic MVP!!

[@danielbrown3461]

seems like Perkins overlooks the fact that part of the reason that jokic is so successful in his stats is that Black Players....and even Players of mixed race tend to stand around after they have made a basket,,,,or dunk ...thump their chests and not hustle back up the court to play Defence. Many times as these players are standing around and doing little dances or smile at their teamates Jokic will lob a half court pass for an assist. Perkins overlooks this.

[@andrewa9700]

Perk "No dont stop, keep going, dont stop" Malika "Can you stop saying that?" Her mind was definitely in the gutter 💀😂💀

[@TOP4K175]

😭😭

[@zabariduwab9950]

😂😂😂😂😂

[@Luffy459]

Jokic is everything that Perk wishes he could be. Jealousy is bad big Perk. Give the man his flowers. The league ain’t the same as when Bird was playing. Every teams are just way more talented than teams from the past, but still gotta appreciate the pioneers of the game.

[@ticoloco2933]

Jokic is an MVP

[@d-mo8902]

LeBron joined a super team to win a title, that's just what it takes. Nuggets been dealing with injuries for 2 seasons, NO mvp candidate could we a title with there previous rosters.

[@kimchi2780]

I mean they can just be honest like SAS and say its because he's not a "brutha!"

[@broncobilly4029]

One thing that is being missed here. Even if he is padding his stats...a player who pads his assists totals is...the best teammate you can have.

[@mrmacross]

Not necessarily. You don't want a Ben Simmons situation where a guy is always passing because he's afraid to shoot, or a Russell Westbrook situation where in order to get 10 assists you have to force 5 turnovers along the way.

[@KalifUmestoKalifa]

Man if Nuggets manage to stay healthy and win it all I will become insufferable.

[@tamharsingh7550]

Malika with 'Can you stop saying that'. That was hilarious!

[@n8c580]

she knows 😏

[@adingdingdiiing6740]

Stat padding is different from empty stats. What Russ was doing with OKC, a lot of those triple dubs were empty stats because they weren't winning. Jokic's stats are directly translating to wins.

[@princesally743]

Westbrook's team won 80 percent of the games he had a triple double that isn't empty stats

[@Amick44]

Too bad Kawhi and K D can't stay healthy. We wouldn't be talking much about Jokic and earlier, Westbrook.

[@erikponciano]

@@Amick44 But that's part of the game - Durability. What if Michael Jordan don't AGE. You wouldn't be talking about Kawhi and K D.

[@Amick44]

@@erikponciano i know. I'm just not sold on either guy as a champion. At least not as their team's best player.

[@jwill9237]

​@@princesally743 there's video surfacing on KZbin of westBRICK stealing rebounds and getting dump off assists for the statpad. Plus the thunder team when westBRICK Statpadded were never a top team and barely making the cut to the playoffs

[@nhiavang27]

What Perk doesn't understand is that this is the way Joker play. This is Joker style of play. He is an all around type player. You can't tell an all around type player that he is stat padding when it is his game to do everything.

[@mattc3929]

It's not just the triple doubles. Just watching the Nuggets play It's easy to see how he makes his teammates better and how much they struggle when he's off the court. No analytics needed It's just easy to see.

[@michaelhession2105]

As a Bucks fan, its disrespecting towards our fanbase that we don't have a National All Access tour this year and Boston does. Especially since we've won 15 straight games right now. Although who am I kidding the last two years the team that had the All Access Tour for both ESPN and NBATV lost to the eventual champion in the playoffs. Those teams happened to be Brooklyn with KD, Kyrie, and Harden, as well as the dark side that is the Memphis Grizzlies. We're not afraid to do this again.

[@michaelhession2105]

@WACKY RIGGED I'm saying the truth. We have a championship with this core, have been the hottest team in basketball, have the player in the game with the best record in the game, the main basketball show on ESPN is hosted by one of the Bucks former reporters, and they still get disrespected because they play in one of the smallest markets in the league. If they played in New York, LA, Chicago, etc they would be the undisputed favorite to win it all. Yet the producers of these shows totally despise us.

[@GrandT343]

Bucks Nuggets finals would be great. Watch these guys cry about it all day.

[@Loquacious_Jackson]

Stay mad, jokic was great last year

[@dunningkruger5823]

Speaking of respect, please help spread awareness that it's pronounced "niikola yOH-kitch" and not nikOla yO-kitch. You are doing a noble service for American society. Thank you, and God bless America.

[@insertlastname]

Small market teams don’t get much air time

[@sim396]

If RJ was saying " dont stop keep going", Malika wouldnt have said stop that lol😂

[@wahuwant4u]

If perkins can have these takes and have a media platform anyone can do anything, get on your grind I guess y’all!

[@shakiemjeanjoseph428]

Jokic:NBA Champion and NBA Finals “Don’t bet against the Fat Boy” to Mailka Andrews after NBA Finals

[@MichaelHackman95]

Perk moved this argument from stapadding, to race now to he has to win a title

[@almonjoseph4382]

It’s only Jokic 7th year in the league Lebron won in his 9th KD won in his 10th Dirk won in his 13th A lot of players took a long time before they won a ring Jokic on a team with no all stars besides him last person that did that was Dirk and it was over 10 years ago Jokic going to win this year so it’s all good 💯

[@cobi2502]

Giannis won without star players.

[@blazer1660]

​@@cobi2502 midleton not an all star those seasons? Holiday was an all star caliber. Giannis is an all time player, but he did not win squat until those bucks players exceled their level of play for that championship run. No one does it alone, not even bron, kd or steph.

[@almonjoseph4382]

@@cobi2502 you’re right I didn’t know because I know he was an Allstar on 2019,2020 for-sure surprised he didn’t make it in 2021

[@antonioornelas4256]

That Rick Carlisle joke was straight gas 😂🔥

[@saroshkhan1579]

This is why I stopped watching ESPN. The fact that they are taking Perkin's argument seriously is beyond me. The guys whose team is in first place, who is averaging the most efficient triple double in the history of the NBA (63/40/80) AND is a Center is stat padding?! Give me a break.

[@freshprinceshaun]

Perks a hater, been a hater, always will be a hater!

[@quentincrisp6933]

Bottom line is this: If Jokic was BLACK Perkins wouldn't be having this conversation! Truth! Full stop!🔥💥🔥

[@michael-wj7sc]

Malika told perk to “stop saying that” 😂😂😂😂

[@hooligan5381]

Malika a freak lol

[@BBalllegend1000]

​@@hooligan5381 fr homie lol

[@DoubleOhTheG]

She is truly a freak if her mind goes there immediately

[@sportschad]

Seriously? Anyone who has seen Jokic play in at least 10 games, you'd think he's not even doing much of anything on the court. He's so in-sync and so efficient at every game he plays in that you would probably think he only got like 10, 3, and 3, and then you'd be surprised that he got 30, 10, and 10 at the end. Like that 41 points in Game 2 in the 2023 NBA Finals vs Heat, probably the most subtle 41 points I have ever seen. I barely even noticed that he scored that much throughout the game.

[@dude-fk2rn]

Bro, Jokic has 16 games ended with 9 assists this season. And 19 games with 9 rebounds. Also, 9 games ended with 9 assist and 9 rebound. He could easily stat pad and get 40 triple double.

[@anguscooper]

Perkins is a triple double king during his NBA days His average is 30 claps per game 60 chest bumps per game and 80 high fives per game He is the All Time NBA Most Valuable Bench Cheerleader

[@brewer921]

Jokic is winning more games every season like Bird: 47, 48 and about 57 this season.

[@tompratt7125]

I think you're unaware that two recent NBA seasons were shortened due to Covid. Here are Jokic's Nuggets adjusted win totals since 2019. 2019--54-28 (normal season) 2020--46-27 (covid shortened season of 73 games) winning % of .630 so adjusted for 82 game season 52-30 record. 2021--47-25 (covid shortened season of 72 games) winning % of .653 so adjusted for 82 game season 54-28. 2022--48-32 (normal season). 2023--winning % of .698 so on pace for 57-25.

[@brewer921]

@@tompratt7125 OK, so he's even more impressive than I thought.

[@ranchosdelnorte]

Last year their record percentage was actually down from the year before because that was a 72 game season. However, Nuggets were something like 2-9 in games without Jokic not even counting games he left early from injury or ejection which they all lost, so that has a big affect on how the overall team record looks compared to how much Jokic was actually winning. Jokic actually had more wins that Embiid and Giannis last year but they had better records simply because their teams were still able to win without them

[@canadadry4609]

Russell Westbrook used to get mad when his teammates didnt shoot when he passed because it messed up his assists. Russell Westbrook as a POINT GUARD used to contest the least amount of threes in the nba(less than other centers) because he'd be in the paint hunting rebounds rather than defend guards shooting 3s. I remember steph and kd literally pointing and laughing on the bench at russgetting upset with teammates not shooting when he passed them the ball. We all saw this. Jokic doesn't care about triple doubles. He's the last guy in the world you'd think would care about this stuff. Stop bringing up russ. Its just fake news.

[@jwill9237]

WestBRICK is the real definition of a statpadder and does not make his team better

[@redeyexxx1841]

@@jwill9237 Half his assists results in turnovers. He doesn't guard 3's hunting rebounds

[@jwill9237]

@@redeyexxx1841 of course. Also doesn't care about winning only about individual records

[@jeffclassic7205]

You could just feel Richards pain when they said they were going to Perk, me to Rich

[@doubleeph8920]

Don't stop RJ, Malika get your mind out the gutter girl 🤣

[@c9fan]

guys stat padding = winning basket.... he just doesn't want to say jokic plays the most winning basketball in the league no one will say it tho FR

[@kikaye38]

The fact that they would put Westbrook and Jokic together in the same argument for stat padding just shows the level of SELECTIVE IGNORANCE these "analysts" are capable of. Unlike Russ, Jokic plays within the system and the flow of the game. He doesn't force the issue to get his stats. And anybody who is a student of the game and not be a nuggets fan can appreciate how organic Jokic plays. As for none finals appearance, Curry has never won Championship without Klay and KD, Giannis had Middleton, they had their #2 (and #3) and Curry played #2 to KD in Golden State. If both Porter and Murray shows up healthy together in the playoffs, it would be the first time Jokic will have his main auxiliary guys in the playoffs run.

[@sim396]

Giannis is the mvp, best player and best team record. Jokic is having the best season stats wise

[@c9fan]

valid

[@macman2141]

Nah…jokic is MVP…Giannis is a respectable second 💯

[@kingspeech2240]

@@macman2141 🧢

[@njolson]

@@kingspeech2240 no 🧢

[@kylehowe6761]

Giannis sat for how many of those wins? Plus east is weak Gianni’s has no shot it’s jokics award to lose at this point

[@Anthony-nd6vk]

I love that Perk’s defense is that Jokic pads stats because I did.

[@TheMIHAILproductions]

Why do people still argue for postseason success when the award is regular season based?

[@johnnykash9412]

I think Perk is taking out his frustrations come from Rondo

[@whodatking26]

More assists in a finals debut than anyone in the history of the NBA. And also the only player in history to lead a finals in total points total assists and total rebounds. How's that for stat padding Perkins???

[@dude-fk2rn]

Jokic 1st MVP was because a lot of his competition was not healthy. Second MVP, his team was not available so he had to carry the team. This year, everyone is healthy, his team and competition. They are the 1st in the west by a wide margin, his numbers are great, traditionally and advanced analytics, also no second all star player. I'd say the closest competition is actually Giannis, but he misses a lot of games this year. Embiid might win it if he can have a 15-0 run like giannis, it is highly unlikely though.

[@traskol]

Perk: Stat padding exists in the league but I’m just gonna call out Jokic on it.

[@ljlemon5546]

Whos here after Jokic Stat Padded his way to the championship

[@fastbowler]

There's wanting to round off your stats for the night (sure, that exists),, but it is another thing when you're wanting to get a great stat irrespective of whether the effort it's serving to get the win. That's why you can't call what Jokic does stat padding. Every effort is purposeful. That's just his style.

[@AssyrianDynamo]

How many all stars does Jokic have playing with him??? Now answer the same question about everyone else!

[@rahulsinha6862]

Jokic was given the MVP last year because he willed a G league Nugs team to the playoffs with monster stats, historically efficient scoring, and a game that made everyone around him better. People were lamenting the fact that he didn’t have help, and that if he did, the Nuggets would be great. He got his help back, and guess what… the Nugs are great! If the Nugs were not great this year, then the MVP won last year would’ve been “fraudulent.” The claim that Jokic doesn’t deserve the MVP again is ludicrous. He is doing exactly what has been expected of him. Now if he doesn’t get to the finals and make it competitive this year, then the argument for no MVP next year is the compelling one (obv regardless, no one will win 4 in a row - but I’m just giving the logic). Bird had Parish and McHale during that 3 year stretch in the playoffs. Jokic missed his next two best players last year, and missed his next best player the year before (when AG and MPJ also weren’t the players the are now) - so his team performed as was expected (as did Bird’s)

[@kimjonghyun3471]

Stat padding is when u make plays for personal gains that lead to losses. It’s not the fact that they’re 28-0 when he gets triple doubles it’s that we consistently see Jokic never fight the game. He just makes the right plays

[@ChuBerting]

RJ's "whatever" at the end got me 😂

[@bryanstarke2931]

63.3% shooting

[@jasonjanisewski78]

What about the Defensive comparison?

[@Neofilmcritic]

@@jasonjanisewski78 He's like 35th in defensive win shares. That's not bad, its not great but not bad.

[@spongequan1207]

@@Neofilmcritic analytic nerd 🤓

[@Neofilmcritic]

@@spongequan1207 Defensive win shares is hardly analytical LMAO

[@rockstarhulk]

so? he attemps 10shots🤡

[@Deputy567]

A lot of the Jokic hate and Luka hate honestly comes from the standpoint that a lot of black fans/players are jealous of a white guy cooking the league. Think of it this way! Luka and Jokic are both in their 20s, but Luka gets criticized because he plays like harden and people think he can’t play with other stars. Jokic is being criticized for not being a 2 way player, but both players get their numbers, and both players take their game to another level in the playoffs. We should be celebrating stuff like that when we compare both to Harden(Luka’s comparison) & Russ(perk’s Jokic comparison) it’s clear In the small sample size that we have of both players in the playoffs they take their game to another level. This is just straight player hating.

[@217ShowOffBoii]

Jokic isn't held to the same standards because the media UNDERRATES him. It wasn't too long ago Malika asked if Jokic is a superstar

[@leetraviusmckay2919]

Jokic earned it more this year than last year especially since they’re been 82-18 the last two seasons Jokic has had a triple double. Plus they’re 24-0 this season when Jokic has a triple double.

[@amrithbharadwaj4945]

Perk is right. There was a lot of pressure on all those guys to win championships after they won MVP. Except when that pressure built up, their franchises either gave them all star teammates, or they left that team to join another team with other stars. Jordan, LeBron, KD, Steph, Giannis all needed all star teammates to win championships, none of them won without one. Jokic has never had that. Hold him to that standard.

[@showtime4481]

You do realize during the bubble season and inside the bubble Murray was an all star talent and was considered the best player on the team right

[@masonbrevig3652]

@@showtime4481 just for the Utah series not the Clippers or the Lakers series. Bubble Murray was more so just him against Utah he did have other good games but Jokic led the team in scoring against the clippers and lakers.

[@bmamurphy]

Its very confusing because people are holding him to that standard, people aren't putting him as the best player in the world because he hasn't won the championship, the problem is for Jokic is this is the actual play offs that matter, if he gets to the finals his resume goes, Second round Game 7 WCF 2nd round without second best playerm loses to the champions without 2nd and third best player, Finals, Like Jokic hasn't truly disappointed in the play offs his team has just been decimated

[@bobhanson1037]

What pressure was on giannis? Steph had pressure Because he didn't win finals mvp and had KD join his team. KD had pressure Because he left okc to the warriors after they bounced him. Lebron and mj is just in different league of criticism because that's the goat debate. Joker is just doing his thing and has been the only one to stay healthy on his team.

[@amrithbharadwaj4945]

@@bmamurphy Look, I can even understand them wanting to give it to Giannis and Tatum who have had more success in the playoffs although they did it in a weaker conference with a better team, but they have had more success nonetheless. But I can't accept this being used to prop up Embiid as the MVP. Jokic is a 2nd round pick who has done more, gone farther in the playoffs with lesser talent in a tougher conference while Embiid, who was a lottery pick from the same draft class playing in a much bigger market with multiple all stars and now a hall of fame coach and a former MVP has never got out of the second round in his career. If you're going to reject the idea of giving Jokic MVP based on the lack of playoff success, at least don't use it to give it to a guy who has been a bigger failure in the playoffs.

[@dshap42]

“Stop being good and winning games!!!!”

[@mrperniciouswithag]

Stat padding insinuates a player has an individual side quest that deviates from the main team goal of winning the basketball game. When Russ was getting his, that felt like stat padding. Like whether his team won or lost, as long as he got his triple-double he was “having fun”. Jokic is totally different - he seems like he literally couldn’t be bothered by what his stat line is. His triple-doubles feel like they happen as a byproduct of doing what it takes to win his team the game, not the other way around. Intention has a lot to do with it and you can never get in a player’s head and be sure, but the optics certainly don’t give any indication that he cares at all about his stats or earning individual awards. He’s like the modern Tim Duncan.

[@saintdockery5740]

They won 80percent of those games with a triple double

[@jwill9237]

​@@saintdockery5740 but struggled to make it in the playoffs. Were always an 6-8 seed. Jokic has the nuggets with the best record in the west and probably the whole league

[@ericemeritz9870]

Big Perk had to stat pad to get his triple single . Career 5.4 points 5.8 rebounds 1 assist 1.2 blocks and went on about players getting a different bar??? Come on now . Joker is a phenom !!!

[@Jimbro0o0o0]

Kendrick Perkins stat padding these bad takes.

[@hardwoodthought1213]

Perks logic is ridiculous. He says the whole league engages in stat-padding behaviour, but then only applies the label of stat padder to Jokic, without any evidence. That same logic should be used for every other player, Embid included. Not only has dozens of teammates and coaches of Jokic said he doesn’t care about individual success or accolades, but 9 times this season he’s finished 1 rebound or 1 assist away from a triple double. If he was really passing wouldn’t he have pushed to get those triple doubles? Perk is ridiculous

[@mako4874]

Call him champion along with stat padder now

[@cuatro6456]

Big Difference between Jokic & Westbrook, OKC as a team push to stat pad Westbrook, give me a instance that Denver front court box out during a freethrow so Jokic can get a rebound, or feed his teammates until he get his 10th assist then he suddenly became a ballhog.

[@Amick44]

A healthy Kawhi and Durant leave em both in the dust.

[@cuatro6456]

@@Amick44 the thing is, will we ever see a healthy Kawhi?

[@leninbarahona4074]

Perk is goofy😂😂😂

[@shadow33103]

Nah the crew is goofy😂 Perk kept it real and they still moving the goal post😂

[@tedlemoine5587]

Perkins voted for Chris Paul 2 years ago because he said " if you guys gave it to Steve Nash 20 years ago and he was a Suns guard, why aren't you giving it to Chris Paul? That logic is so bad it's hard to even think he was serious....but he was

[@clarkkent2468]

I agree with Perk. Jokic doesn't get criticized like some of the top players do, for example, Embiid. Embiid gets hounded by the media every playoff and during the season. Jokic hasn't done well in the playoffs but not one bad thing has been said about him at all! Every time Jokic gets eliminated, not one headline talks him down as a failure. Sixers get eliminated and Embiid gets all the blame. What Perk is saying is keep that same energy for Jokic.

[@milanradojkovic3818]

Why would be? He elevates his game in a playoff, Embiid not, or he is injured. Only time when Jokic had healthy team around him- Denver was in a West finals. Last year he played with bunch of mediocres, also Gordon was out of his best.

[@terrencesimpkins734]

MVP is a regular season award

[@Strgb]

@@milanradojkovic3818 Embiid had Simmons and Markelle faultz and still people put the blame on him. Jokic will retire if he had to deal with Simmons.

[@milanradojkovic3818]

@@Strgb or he would make a player of him...

[@Strgb]

@@milanradojkovic3818 he did

[@jrexx2841]

I love Kendrick Perkins *says nobody ever*

[@talentkid234]

6:07 boy was he wrong

[@dunningkruger5823]

Hello everyone, please help spread awareness that it's pronounced "niikola yOH-kitch" and not nikOla yO-kitch. You are doing a noble service for American society. Thank you and God bless America.

[@hdeodh]

Jokic benefits a lot from the age of analytics. His stats simply looked better last year and they look great this year. As analytics continue to grow in the NBA, I think more decision like DPOY, MVP, ROY... and so on will be more analytics based. The eye test will be slowly phased out.

[@insertlastname]

Yeah averaging a triple double is just the age of analytics

[@hdeodh]

@@insertlastname Last season, joel embiid said in an interview that he knew he was going to lost the MVP vote because Jokic's statistics were better. Jokic also look better then him in terms of number and analytics.

[@nirogacaradhigama3788]

​@@hdeodh you watch jokic last year's buds ?

[@unggading6990]

What eye test do you need? Are you black? 🤣🤣🤣

[@kimjonghyun3471]

He won last year not bc of analytics but bc he was on par with Giannis and Embid but those 2 keep missing 15+ games a season where as he’ll miss like 5-7 games max

[@dzrdza]

I'm just glad that the overwhelming majority of comments here is in support of Jokic.

[@alexandersnow1963]

I think what Perk misses is that the nuggets had Murray and MPJ coming back from injury, and KCP was new to the team. Joker needs to pass so those guys can shoot and gain confidence. And you can see it’s been paying off. Especially with MPJ. There is a bigger picture in mind. Though, as a nuggets fan, I will admit that if the nuggets enter the playoffs as a healthy #1 seed I will accept nothing less than a trip to finals this near. They will have 0 excuses this time.

[@redeyexxx1841]

Well your demands have been fulfilled. Nuggets are indeed playing finals and Jokic is stat padding in NBA finals according to Perkins.

[@mrmacross]

How is Jokic stad-padding? He decreased his scoring total but his TS% is #1 in the league. He also found a way to increase his assist totals while also decreasing his turnovers from last year. And as for his rebounds, well, he's the C and is closest to the basket. This isn't like how Westbrook had to bring his turnover totals to near-record levels just to average 10 assists per game and the team funneled all their defensive rebounds to Russ.

[@kb101ist]

if denver dont make the finals and jokic is mvp, hes gonna get killed next year, especially if giannis or embiid or even tatum win it, cause ngl 3x back to back mvp and zero finals appearances is funky especially cause these voters used that reason not to give mvp's to other all time greats. Thats being said he deserves it this year, its the other two years where i take exception

[@troyburg9253]

Nuggets will win the NBA finals!! Watch !!!

[@kb101ist]

@troyburg9253 they wont, the bucks will I think

[@sebastiancalmet-medone8856]

Perk is basically saying since he admits that he was aware and wanted to stat pad himself, that it must be that way for everyone else😂

[@Vens352]

Everyone knows Perk is speaking facts. They keep moving the goal 🥅 for Jokic. I'm gonna say whatever Jokic does is the criteria. If I'm not mistaken, Curry didn't win two years ago only because of his team's record while Jokic won it with a 6th seed team.

[@CB-zi8lz]

They were a 6th seed because of Jokic. His back court last year was Faccu and Austin Rivers. How is it moving the goal posts when he's playing better than he did the past 2 seasons? The argument has no merit.

[@Rooski245]

“Everyone knows”. No. Everyone knows he’s wrong. Educate yourself

[@kylehowe6761]

Only racist black people and Philly fans agree with u