Malone clears air: Jokic, not Gilgeous-Alexander, my MVP choice

[{"selector":"#anim-24328ec0-200c-4ad1-96ec-6ba496d94126","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":600,"duration":800,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-4404e3b3-4886-414d-96c1-810e3c91ea77","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-119.35484%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":600,"duration":800,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-f06d0f6d-c178-4282-aa83-e2507492992b","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Michael Malone clarified Thursday that Nikola Jokic was his MVP pick, despite earlier praise for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander that upset Denver fans. Learn More Arrow

[{"selector":"#anim-f95b4b76-e2b3-468a-b851-239987bac225","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-1cdfbebf-75e4-4de3-8aa1-5447217c87b0","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":600,"duration":800,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-f529d2f0-000a-409a-9829-e25623218aca","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-119.35484%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":600,"duration":800,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] “I did vote for him again this year, if I had a vote,” Malone said on ESPN, stressing his continued support for Jokic after recent criticism. Learn More Arrow

[{"selector":"#anim-621b8383-1984-4f60-a85a-4601d1ef8a34","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-cad137ca-b855-4e0d-8145-ccdc3b73a471","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":600,"duration":800,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-060cb96f-7ac6-48c0-9226-e18b0b71b8f9","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-119.35484%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":600,"duration":800,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Gilgeous-Alexander received his MVP trophy Thursday night before Game 2 vs. the Timberwolves, days after being named league MVP. Learn More Arrow

[{"selector":"#anim-3cede3c8-4fc3-4bee-9334-f4f382251ac7","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-e8bca677-5063-4533-bc86-a8e76b08e04f","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":600,"duration":800,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-f06a8149-33a7-46d8-a598-95e4e26d49fc","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-119.35484%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":600,"duration":800,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Jokic finished second in MVP voting this season, behind Gilgeous-Alexander, despite leading the Nuggets to the playoffs' second round. Learn More Arrow

[{"selector":"#anim-f417b4a6-6d72-4cb9-a10b-9b4d74e41530","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-c641ea7b-e2ec-411f-8268-00e64f87b20d","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":600,"duration":800,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-c995909e-76ba-4fde-a800-eb9026939eba","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-119.35484%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":600,"duration":800,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Malone had called Gilgeous-Alexander’s Game 1 performance proof of his MVP status, which fans saw as a slight toward Jokic. Learn More Arrow

[{"selector":"#anim-303c2807-1959-4c3a-b027-e4ef7d951f25","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-9d146836-9d8c-4fdb-aad0-182d1b18adb8","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":600,"duration":800,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-bdc886a1-ff90-47f3-a429-c9532c31e06a","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-119.35484%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":600,"duration":800,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Some Denver fans interpreted Malone’s comments as bitterness following his firing as Nuggets head coach after a 10-year tenure. Learn More Arrow

[{"selector":"#anim-eb07ecbd-5874-4cee-a239-e9d1c6116c5b","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-05daa410-dd16-4d09-b4fd-63109416bf43","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":600,"duration":800,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-1db9c6c0-0ac2-4c71-90b3-e7c32d6bbb36","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-119.35484%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":600,"duration":800,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Malone, now a guest analyst on ESPN's "NBA Countdown," was not part of the panel of 100 media members who voted for MVP. Learn More Arrow

[{"selector":"#anim-fd516d55-c82f-4f01-ae73-245f310c3d2c","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-011ddc55-1c28-4207-9d35-4649ecc83234","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":600,"duration":800,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-cef7db4e-8436-4184-b720-ab4e22655e57","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-119.35484%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":600,"duration":800,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Despite the controversy, Malone reaffirmed his loyalty to Jokic, saying he wanted to “make sure the people in Denver know that.” Learn More Arrow

Malone clears air: Jokic, not Gilgeous-Alexander, my MVP choice

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