Nikola Jokic has won back-to-back MVPs, and is in position to win it for the third time in a row, something only Bill Russell (61-63), Wilt Chamberlain (66-68), and Larry Bird (84-86) have done. I want to look at the guys who won two in a row but didn't get that third straight.
1. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar - 1971-72
1971: 31.7 points, 16.0 rebounds, 3.3 assists
1972: 34.8 points, 16.6 rebounds, 4.6 assists
Then came 1973, where Kareem averaged 30.2 points, 16.1 rebounds, and 5.0 assists, but didn't win the MVP. That went to Dave Cowens, who averaged 20.5 points, 16.2 rebounds, and 4.1 assists. I was just a kid back then so I didn't see either of them play at this time, but from a statistical standpoint, Kareem was significantly better, especially considering the fact that he averaged almost 10 points a game more.
2. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar - 1976-77
1976 - 27.7 points, 16.9 rebounds, 5.0 assists
1977 - 26.2 points, 13.3 rebounds, 3.9 assists
Incredibly, Kareem won the MVP in 5 out of 7 years, but didn't three peat even once. In 1978 he averaged 25.8 points, 12.9 rebounds, and 4.3 assists, but the MVP went to Bill Walton, who averaged 18.9 points, 13.2 rebounds, and 5.0 assists. Again, statistically, Kareem seems to have been better.
3. Moses Malone - 1982-83
1982 - 31.1 points, 14.7 rebounds, 1.8 assists
1983 - 24.5 points, 15.3 rebounds, 1.3 assists
Moses was terrific again in 1984, averaging 22.7 points, 13.4 rebounds, and 1.4 assists, but lost out to Bird, who won the first of three in a row, averaging 24.2 points, 10.1 rebounds, and 6.6 assists.
4. Magic Johnson - 1989-90
1989 - 22.5 points, 7.9 rebounds, 12.8 assists
1990 - 22.3 points, 6.6 rebounds, 11.5 assists
Magic won 3 in 4 seasons, but in 1991 lost out to Jordan, who averaged 31.5 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 5.5 assists.
5. Michael Jordan - 1991-92
1991 - 31.5 points, 6.0 rebounds, 5.5 assists
1992 - 30.1 points, 6.4 rebounds, 6.1 assists
In 1993, Jordan averaged 32.6 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 5.5 assists, but lost out to Charles Barkley, who averaged 25.6 points, 12.2 rebounds, and 5.1 assists. Obviously Barkley was fantastic that year, but Jordan..well..it felt like this was the "fatigue" of voting for Jordan.
6. Tim Duncan - 2002-03
2002 - 25.5 points, 12.7 rebounds, 3.7 assists
2003 - 23.3 points, 12.9 rebounds, 3.9 assists
In 2004, Duncan averaged 22.3 points, 12.4 rebounds, and 3.1 assists, but lost out to Kevin Garnett, who averaged 24.2 points, 13.9 rebounds, and 5.0 assists. Garnett deserved the MVP that year over Duncan.
7. Steve Nash - 2005-06
2005 - 15.5 points, 3.3 rebounds, 11.5 assists
2006 - 18.8 points, 4.2 rebounds, 10.5 assists
In 2007, Nash averaged 18.6 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 11.6 assists, but lost out to Dirk Nowitzki, who averaged 24.6 points, 8.9 rebounds, and 3.4 assists. Dirk deserved the MVP that year.
8. LeBron James - 2009-10
2009 - 28.4 points, 7.6 rebounds, 7.2 assists
2010 - 29.7 points, 7.3 rebounds, 8.6 assists
In 2011, LeBron averaged 26.7 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 7.0 assists, having another spectacular season, but lost out to Derrick Rose, who averaged 25.0 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 7.7 assists. Rose was not better than LeBron that year, but it was voter fatigue of some sort.
9. LeBron James - 2012-13
2012 - 27.1 points, 7.9 rebounds, 6.2 assists
2013 - 26.8 points, 8.0 rebounds, 7.3 assists
This made it 4 MVPS in 5 seasons for LeBron, interrupted only by Derrick Rose in 2011. But LeBron would again fail to three-peat, as the MVP in 2014 was won by Kevin Durant. LeBron averaged 27.1 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 6.3 assists, but Durant put up 32.0 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 5.5 assists, and was the deserved winner.
10. Steph Curry - 2015-16
2015 - 23.8 points, 4.3 rebounds, 7.7 assists
2016 - 30.1 points, 5.4 rebounds, 6.7 assists
Curry's brilliant MVP run came to an end in 2017, even though he averaged 25.3 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 6.6 assists. He lost out to Russell Westbrook, who averaged a triple double: 31.6 points, 10.7 rebounds, and 10.4 assists.
11. Giannis Antetokounmpo - 2019-20
2019 - 27.7 points, 12.5 rebounds, 5.9 assists
2020 - 29.5 points, 13.6 rebounds, 5.6 assists
Giannis' bid for a three-peat ended in 2021 as he lost out to Nikola Jokic, despite averaging 28.1 points, 11.0 rebounds, and 5.9 assists. Jokic took the award while averaging 26.4 points, 10.8 rebounds, and 8.3 assists.
Looking back at this list, it's hard to say who SHOULD have won 3 in a row. I think Kareem in 1973 should have won it over Cowens. Kareem also had a good case in 1978 when Walton won. Though Barkley was great in 1993, I think Jordan probably was better that year. LeBron definitely was better than Derrick Rose in 2011 as well.
1. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar - 1971-72
1971: 31.7 points, 16.0 rebounds, 3.3 assists
1972: 34.8 points, 16.6 rebounds, 4.6 assists
Then came 1973, where Kareem averaged 30.2 points, 16.1 rebounds, and 5.0 assists, but didn't win the MVP. That went to Dave Cowens, who averaged 20.5 points, 16.2 rebounds, and 4.1 assists. I was just a kid back then so I didn't see either of them play at this time, but from a statistical standpoint, Kareem was significantly better, especially considering the fact that he averaged almost 10 points a game more.
2. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar - 1976-77
1976 - 27.7 points, 16.9 rebounds, 5.0 assists
1977 - 26.2 points, 13.3 rebounds, 3.9 assists
Incredibly, Kareem won the MVP in 5 out of 7 years, but didn't three peat even once. In 1978 he averaged 25.8 points, 12.9 rebounds, and 4.3 assists, but the MVP went to Bill Walton, who averaged 18.9 points, 13.2 rebounds, and 5.0 assists. Again, statistically, Kareem seems to have been better.
3. Moses Malone - 1982-83
1982 - 31.1 points, 14.7 rebounds, 1.8 assists
1983 - 24.5 points, 15.3 rebounds, 1.3 assists
Moses was terrific again in 1984, averaging 22.7 points, 13.4 rebounds, and 1.4 assists, but lost out to Bird, who won the first of three in a row, averaging 24.2 points, 10.1 rebounds, and 6.6 assists.
4. Magic Johnson - 1989-90
1989 - 22.5 points, 7.9 rebounds, 12.8 assists
1990 - 22.3 points, 6.6 rebounds, 11.5 assists
Magic won 3 in 4 seasons, but in 1991 lost out to Jordan, who averaged 31.5 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 5.5 assists.
5. Michael Jordan - 1991-92
1991 - 31.5 points, 6.0 rebounds, 5.5 assists
1992 - 30.1 points, 6.4 rebounds, 6.1 assists
In 1993, Jordan averaged 32.6 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 5.5 assists, but lost out to Charles Barkley, who averaged 25.6 points, 12.2 rebounds, and 5.1 assists. Obviously Barkley was fantastic that year, but Jordan..well..it felt like this was the "fatigue" of voting for Jordan.
6. Tim Duncan - 2002-03
2002 - 25.5 points, 12.7 rebounds, 3.7 assists
2003 - 23.3 points, 12.9 rebounds, 3.9 assists
In 2004, Duncan averaged 22.3 points, 12.4 rebounds, and 3.1 assists, but lost out to Kevin Garnett, who averaged 24.2 points, 13.9 rebounds, and 5.0 assists. Garnett deserved the MVP that year over Duncan.
7. Steve Nash - 2005-06
2005 - 15.5 points, 3.3 rebounds, 11.5 assists
2006 - 18.8 points, 4.2 rebounds, 10.5 assists
In 2007, Nash averaged 18.6 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 11.6 assists, but lost out to Dirk Nowitzki, who averaged 24.6 points, 8.9 rebounds, and 3.4 assists. Dirk deserved the MVP that year.
8. LeBron James - 2009-10
2009 - 28.4 points, 7.6 rebounds, 7.2 assists
2010 - 29.7 points, 7.3 rebounds, 8.6 assists
In 2011, LeBron averaged 26.7 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 7.0 assists, having another spectacular season, but lost out to Derrick Rose, who averaged 25.0 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 7.7 assists. Rose was not better than LeBron that year, but it was voter fatigue of some sort.
9. LeBron James - 2012-13
2012 - 27.1 points, 7.9 rebounds, 6.2 assists
2013 - 26.8 points, 8.0 rebounds, 7.3 assists
This made it 4 MVPS in 5 seasons for LeBron, interrupted only by Derrick Rose in 2011. But LeBron would again fail to three-peat, as the MVP in 2014 was won by Kevin Durant. LeBron averaged 27.1 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 6.3 assists, but Durant put up 32.0 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 5.5 assists, and was the deserved winner.
10. Steph Curry - 2015-16
2015 - 23.8 points, 4.3 rebounds, 7.7 assists
2016 - 30.1 points, 5.4 rebounds, 6.7 assists
Curry's brilliant MVP run came to an end in 2017, even though he averaged 25.3 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 6.6 assists. He lost out to Russell Westbrook, who averaged a triple double: 31.6 points, 10.7 rebounds, and 10.4 assists.
11. Giannis Antetokounmpo - 2019-20
2019 - 27.7 points, 12.5 rebounds, 5.9 assists
2020 - 29.5 points, 13.6 rebounds, 5.6 assists
Giannis' bid for a three-peat ended in 2021 as he lost out to Nikola Jokic, despite averaging 28.1 points, 11.0 rebounds, and 5.9 assists. Jokic took the award while averaging 26.4 points, 10.8 rebounds, and 8.3 assists.
Looking back at this list, it's hard to say who SHOULD have won 3 in a row. I think Kareem in 1973 should have won it over Cowens. Kareem also had a good case in 1978 when Walton won. Though Barkley was great in 1993, I think Jordan probably was better that year. LeBron definitely was better than Derrick Rose in 2011 as well.