Nikola Jokic's historic streak might be coming to an end this season. Jokic has tied Larry Bird and Bill Russell as the most consecutive top-two NBA MVP finishes in league history with six, but he is sliding in this year's award race.

The Denver Nuggets have started their 2026-27 season with a 6-4 record through their first ten games, and Jokic has not been as dominant as usual. So far, he is averaging 23.5 points, 10.8 rebounds, and 9.0 assists per game, while shooting 50% from the field and 23.3% from beyond the arc. Sure, those are still impressive numbers, but he has not been performing up to standard.

With superstars like Victor Wembanyama, Luka Doncic, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and Jayson Tatum all playing extremely high-level basketball, Jokic is falling well behind in the MVP race.

Nikola Jokic's MVP odds

According to FanDuel Sportsbook, Jokic is still considered a top-five MVP candidate, but he is lower on the ladder than we are used to seeing. The full top five:

1. Victor Wembanyama, San Antonio Spurs: +150
2. Luka Doncic, Los Angeles Lakers: +155
3. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, OKC Thunder: +700
4. Jayson Tatum, Boston Celtics: +1400
5. Nikola Jokic, Denver Nuggets: +1600

There are still 72 games left to play, so Jokic has plenty of time to work his way back into the MVP race, but based on what we've seen so far from his top competitors, he might not have much of a chance.

Wembanyama is rightfully the favorite to win the award, as he is likely on his way to being the fourth player in league history to win both MVP and Defensive Player of the Year in the same season. Doncic is also having an incredible season, leading the league with 38.6 points per game, as the MVP race is turning into a two-man battle.

Again, though, there is a lot of basketball left to be played. This ten-game stretch has been inconsistent for Jokic, and the Nuggets have not been as successful as the teams led by other MVP candidates, but we can expect things to improve. Jokic, a three-time MVP, is one of the league's most consistently dominant players, and he could just be in a slump.

Can Jokic still win MVP?

While the oddsmakers do not seem to believe Jokic can catch up to Wembanyama and Doncic, what's really holding him back? We all know what Jokic is capable of, as he has proven to be the league's top player over the past six years, and he has still put together some MVP-caliber performances in this "slump" to start the season.

Through ten games, Jokic is still 16th in the NBA in points per game, seventh in rebounds, and first in assists. Even though he has started slowly, he is putting up some incredible numbers. If the Nuggets can figure things out as a team and climb up the Western Conference standings, and Jokic returns to being the player we are used to seeing, he could undoubtedly rise up the MVP ladder.