When you take a look at two pivotal games in mid-March, what insights do they offer about the NBA MVP voting, which spans an entire 82-game season?
These games provided, somewhat paradoxically, both everything and nothing.
Over a Sunday and Monday, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s Oklahoma City Thunder squared off against Nikola Jokic’s Denver Nuggets. The MVP race this year has dwindled down to these two standout players—though, of course, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jayson Tatum, Jalen Brunson, Donovan Mitchell, and other contenders are still technically in the running. These back-to-back games were hyped to shed light on an exceptionally close contest, showcasing two brilliant players with strikingly different narratives.
For Gilgeous-Alexander fans, Sunday was the perfect picture. Oklahoma City demolished the Nuggets with a 127-103 victory, featuring SGA’s dazzling 40-point performance in just 35 minutes. Despite a shaky 2-11 from beyond the arc, he was flawless from the free-throw line. It was an intense contest until the final quarter, when SGA, typically rested during crunch time, exploded, effectively ending any hope Denver had—likely still reeling from their Friday overtime battle against the Suns.
On the flip side, Jokic had one of his less dominant games in this marvelous 2024-2025 season. “Less dominant” meaning he still managed an impressive 24 points, 13 rebounds, and 9 assists. He found the going tough against the lengthy and energized defenses of Isaiah Hartenstein and Chet Holmgren, which stymied his usual control of the game—a standard that Denver fans might admit they’ve been a bit spoiled by in recent seasons.
Score one for SGA. How would the ever-resilient Jokic answer that?
With ease—it was a stunning response. Jokic steered his team to victory with 35 points, 18 rebounds, and 8 assists, orchestrating a 140-127 triumph over not just the top team in the Western Conference but its most formidable defense. SGA, for all his efforts, was held to 25 points and ended up with a minus-18 in his 36 minutes.
Now, the pendulum swings back—advantage, Jokic.
Fans from both camps had their beliefs confirmed and questioned within this brief encounter. It’s almost a microcosm of a much larger sample—a snapshot of greatness on both sides.
So, with no definitive clarity from these two games, what might we foresee when the media starts casting their MVP votes as the season wraps up?
SGA might grab the MVP. Yet, on the stats sheet and individual performance, Jokic has arguably been superior.
Gilgeous-Alexander’s narrative is straightforward: he’s the standout on the best team. He’s the essence, the driving force, the defining figure of OKC’s unyielding offense. His scoring stats are akin to prime Michael Jordan, and he defines the team’s defensive identity too. With the Thunder poised to eclipse 60 wins, they’re favorites to advance to the NBA Finals representing the West.
He’s incredible.
Yet Jokic is—put simply—playing on another level. This isn’t a slight to SGA, but Jokic’s season stands alongside the greatest individual campaigns in basketball history. Imagine Wilt Chamberlain towering over shorter opponents; that’s the kind of realm Jokic is in.
Jokic is chasing basketball’s elusive triple crown, ranking among the top three in points, rebounds, and assists, with efficiency stats that seem hard to comprehend. He’s the ultimate force multiplier, enhancing any competent teammate’s game by 10-15%.
While SGA’s MVP argument hinges on team success, the Nuggets’ stride toward a top seed has somewhat balanced that narrative. SGA benefits from Oklahoma City’s impressive young talent pool curated by Sam Presti, who has crafted a future powerhouse. Jokic, conversely, has held his own by sheer will and basketball IQ, keeping Denver competitive amid roster adjustments and injuries.
Voter fatigue may play a role—many voters might be uninterested in placing Jokic’s name at the top yet again, with his previous three wins reflecting that sentiment. Much like the Oscars, these awards sometimes favor storytelling over raw artistry.
Should SGA win, it won’t be an injustice. He would indeed deserve the accolade, albeit overshadowed by a simultaneous season of historical brilliance. Years down the line, fans might wonder why voters honored Jokic in past seasons but skipped his potentially finest year.
Awards are peculiar like that. Witnessing these two players at such a high point in their careers is a privilege. It’s rarefied territory.
And 1’s:
• The anticipation of Selection Sunday is thick in the air as conference tournaments heat up. Teams from all echelons of college basketball are vying for a coveted spot in the 68-team bracket. The Big 12’s Brett Yormark recently floated expanding the field to 76 teams. Why not? Let’s just toss every SEC team in there, maybe even a couple of G-League squads, and turn each bracket into a mind-boggling masterpiece worthy of “A Beautiful Mind.” Just let loose.
• This year’s women’s tournament is tantalizingly open—well, at least as much as it gets in women’s college hoops. Typically, one powerhouse team tries to fend off 4-5 serious contenders. This year, nearly half a dozen teams stand ready to take on South Carolina and possibly win it all. Players like Paige Bueckers, JuJu Watkins, Hannah Hidalgo, and Lauren Betts ensure there will be plenty of star power on display. While it might not have a Caitlin Clark-level phenomenon, it promises a delightful variety of talents and styles.
