Nikola Jokic rarely appears uncomfortable on the basketball court, but the annual debate surrounding the league`s Most Valuable Player award is a notable exception. His face shows clear discomfort when the topic arises, and he deflects questions about the award as quickly as he makes a touch pass. Jokic has finished in the top five of MVP voting in six of the last seven seasons, winning three times. However, this year, he did something unexpected: he actually advanced his own case for the award.
“I think I`m playing the best basketball of my life. So if that`s enough, it`s enough,” Jokic stated on March 10 after the Denver Nuggets` win over the Oklahoma City Thunder, led by his primary MVP competitor, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. “If not, [Gilgeous-Alexander] deserves it. He`s really amazing.”
Jokic`s remarks didn`t convey a personal ambition to win a fourth MVP, which would place him among historical greats like LeBron James and Wilt Chamberlain (Kareem Abdul-Jabbar holds the record with six, followed by Michael Jordan and Bill Russell with five each). He didn`t claim it would hold significant personal meaning. Jokic`s argument was straightforward: he believes his performance this season is the best of his career, suggesting that if this premise is accepted, he should logically receive the award again, having arguably surpassed his previous MVP-winning seasons.
And by almost every statistical measure, his claim holds true. Beyond averaging a triple-double and leading the league with 33 such games this season, Jokic was in the top three for scoring (29.6), rebounds (12.7), assists (10.2), and steals (1.8), while also ranking in the top 20 for 3-point percentage (41.7%). This combination of statistical achievements was previously unheard of, as he continues to redefine historical benchmarks.
However, this year presents a key difference compared to his previous MVP campaigns, creating a complication in what might otherwise appear to be a clear-cut argument for him.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander also delivered a historic season. He led the league in scoring (32.7 points per game) and provided All-NBA-level defense, all while guiding the NBA`s youngest team to 68 victories. Their average margin of victory (+12.9 PPG) set a new NBA record, surpassing the mark held by the 1971-72 Los Angeles Lakers.
This created a classic MVP narrative: the best player on a top-performing team versus the player with the most historically dominant individual statistics.
The MVP debate seemed to gain significant traction and become somewhat heated only during the two consecutive games between the Nuggets and Thunder on March 9 and 10, which they split.
Gilgeous-Alexander bolstered his case in the nationally televised March 9 victory with 40 points, 8 assists, and 3 steals, stating afterward, “I love MVPs, I love All-Stars, I love all the accolades that come with it, but none of it matters if you don`t win.” Jokic countered the following night with 35 points, 18 rebounds, and 8 assists in the Nuggets` win in the less-publicized second game.
For a day or two, the discussion dominated sports media, teammates publicly supported their respective stars, and voters had a month to deliberate before casting their ballots. Since that time, both players have made a point of publicly praising each other`s exceptional seasons.
However, any lingering debate has largely faded, superseded by the impending drama of the NBA playoffs.
This second-round playoff series between the Thunder and the Nuggets, commencing with Game 1 in Oklahoma City, is poised to reignite the MVP discussion, particularly as the award announcement is scheduled to occur live on TNT during this very round.
This situation means Gilgeous-Alexander and Jokic (along with Giannis Antetokounmpo, another finalist) will potentially participate in a live broadcast to hear the announcement of basketball`s top individual honor precisely when their focus is entirely dedicated to achieving team success in the playoffs.
“It is the last thing on both of our minds,” Jokic remarked after the Nuggets concluded their challenging first-round series against the LA Clippers with a Game 7 victory.
The MVP votes were submitted well in advance. Furthermore, winning the MVP award has not aligned with winning the NBA championship since Stephen Curry accomplished it in 2015; notably, none of the past nine MVP recipients have advanced beyond the conference finals.
In contrast, when asked specifically about Gilgeous-Alexander as a player, Jokic was much more forthcoming.
“He`s a very different player,” Jokic commented. “He`s playing on so many levels, speed, as a scorer. Everything looks so easy for him. Even when you are like, `Oh, that`s a good defense.` It feels so easy for him, and he`s amazing with a change of speed, change of rhythm, ballhandling. He can post up guys, he can go by guys, his shooting at the midrange is unguardable basically. He`s a very special player.”
Gilgeous-Alexander has handled the MVP spotlight with a different approach. He has openly acknowledged the significance of the award and stated his desire to win it, but consistently follows this by emphasizing that the only truly important objective is the Thunder`s success.
This dynamic has largely left the public “campaigning” to others, such as teammates or coaches. While former Denver coach Michael Malone traditionally championed Jokic`s MVP case, after his unexpected firing late in the season, Nuggets swingman Christian Braun took on a similar role.
“I think that Nikola had maybe the greatest season ever,” Braun stated. “I don`t know if you`ll ever see a player do what he did ever again in one singular regular season. They were both great. The Thunder are an amazing team, Shai`s an amazing player. So there isn`t any wrong choice. But to see what Nikola did night in and night out, I don`t know that you`ll ever see that again.”
Earlier in the season, Thunder center Chet Holmgren publicly supported his teammate, tweeting, “Lu Dort for DPOY and Shai for MVP or we riot.”
This MVP storyline adds an intriguing subplot to the upcoming series, one that both primary contenders are expected to try their best to ignore.
When asked if he thought Jokic cared about winning, Braun replied, “I know for a fact he doesn`t.”
Thunder coach Mark Daigneault echoed this sentiment, stating,
“I know Shai a lot better than I know Jokic… But I think I know enough to know that neither one of them are going to get distracted by that. Both of them are going to be fully invested in the series. It`s a supplement to the series. But it`s really, it`s not part of the series at all.”
