Jokic joins NBA greats with third MVP award

Nikola Jokic led the Denver Nuggets to their first NBA title last season

Denver Nuggets centre Nikola Jokic has joined some of the NBA's all-time greats by winning the league's Most Valuable Player award for the third time.

The Serb, who was previously named MVP in 2021 and 2022 and was runner-up last year, is just the ninth man to win the award three or more times.

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was named MVP a record six times, Michael Jordan and Bill Russell are five-time winners, while Wilt Chamberlain and LeBron James have claimed the award on four occasions.

Jokic joins Larry Bird, Magic Johnson and Moses Malone as three-time winners.

"It’s a special moment I'm probably going to remember my whole life," Jokic, 29, said. "It's - I like to say- a legacy for after [your] career."

Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was second in the voting and Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic third.

Jokic has averaged 26.4 points, 12.4 rebounds and nine assists this season and has completed 25 triple-doubles.

He became just the second player to finish with more than 2,000 points, 900 rebounds and 700 assists in a regular season as the defending NBA champions finished second in the Western Conference.

However, the Nuggets are 2-0 down against the Minnesota Timberwolves in their best-of-seven conference semi-final.

In the Eastern Conference semi-finals on Wednesday, Jalen Brunson overcame injury to spark the New York Knicks' comeback win against the Indiana Pacers.

Brunson went off with a right foot injury in the first half with his side leading 24-17 and in his absence the Knicks fell 73-63 behind.

He returned in the third quarter, however, and scored 24 points as the Knicks won 130-121 to take a 2-0 series lead.