Utah Jazz Small Forward Joe Ingles has passed the likes of James Harden and LeBron James to become the favourite to be the NBA’s Most Valuable Player.
This sudden rise from the Adelaide born star comes on the back of a 10 game winning streak by the Utah Jazz, which can only be attributed to Ingles’ impressive play on both ends of the floor.
Ingles, who has been consistently efficient all season long, has averaged 16.2 points, 3.2 rebounds and 3.7 assists during his team’s 10 game run. This purple patch from the Aussie wasn’t short of highlight plays and rim rattling dunks.
See for yourself:
One particular aspect of his game that separates him from the pack is his three-point shooting. Ingles is currently the best shooter from behind the arc this season, hitting 45.7% of his threes.
Don’t be naïve to think this statistic is the result of a small sample size. Ingles has made the 11th most 3 pointers in the league, more than notable shooters such as CJ McCollum and Bradley Beal.
When asked for comment, Ingles remained modest, stating, “Personal achievements aren’t important to me right now. What is important is taking the Utah Jazz to the NBA Finals, where we all know we belong.”
It’s a credit to Ingles’ character that he isn’t worried about personal accolades, given he was inexcusably snubbed from NBA All-Star events such as the three-point contest, the All-Star game and the slam dunk contest.
All that needs to happen for Ingles to be standing on stage at the NBA awards as the season’s MVP, is for him to continue to carry the Utah Jazz towards the number 1 seed in the Western conference. If we’re being completely honest, it’s only a matter of time.