Denver Nuggets' Nikola Jokic named NBA MVP for third time

ON TOP: Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic, center right, and Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo, center left, compete for a rebound. Pic: Jack Dempsey

Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic won the NBA's Most Valuable Player award for the third time in four seasons, the league announced on Wednesday.

Jokic beat Oklahoma City Thunder's Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Luka Doncic of the Dallas Mavericks for the honor, receiving 79 first-place votes from a panel of broadcasters and journalists.