The two-man race to the 2024-25 MVP award is on its final leg. With less than 20 games till the end of the regular season, the MVP frontrunners faced off on back-to-back nights. After losing on Sunday night, Nikola Jokic poured in 35 points, 18 rebounds, and 8 assists to secure the win yesterday.
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Shai Gilgeous-Alexander averaged 32.5 points, 5.5 rebounds and 6 assists across the two matchups, retaking the #1 spot on KIA’s rankings. The Canadian guard has been Jokic’s most formidable foe in his quest for a 4th MVP and it seems like the Serbian center is finally taking to the competition.
A typically nonchalant superstar, the Joker finally addressed his neck-to-neck race with SGA after the 140-127 win last night. “This is my third or fourth year in a row so,” He said.
“I can’t control it. I will say I think I’m playing the best basketball of my life, so, if that’s enough, it’s enough. If not, the guy deserves it. He’s really amazing,” Jokic said about Gilgeous-Alexander.
Even when Joel Embiid overtook him in the MVP race in 2023, Nikola never addressed the situation like this. Though he gave Shai his props, Mile High fans recognized the difference in his demeanor as the Serb rarely speaks on the merits of his own campaign.
“This is the most he’s cared,” one user wrote online. “And he’s still saying the other guy deserves it [emoji] what a goat.”
This is the most he's cared and he's still saying the other guy deserves it 😭😭 what a goat
— Ignanchello (@ignanchello) March 11, 2025
Some fans perceived his comment in a different vein. The three-time MVP has always let his game do the talking and a few fans argued that there’s a sense of frustration brewing as he remains #2 behind SGA despite dropping a historic 30-20-20 game last week.
With averages of 28.8 points, 12.9 rebounds and 10.5 assists per game, Jokic is undoubtedly in the prime of his career. Some users online believe that he wouldn’t point out the same if he didn’t feel the need to campaign for his fourth MVP award.
Jokic rarely ever says anything good about himself and even he knows what a bs MVP it would be if Shai won over him. https://t.co/TeG4I3zG2N
— Young Atlas (@thatbigboi_D) March 11, 2025
With the Nuggets tying their regular season series against the Thunder, it’s hard to argue for SGA’s case as the best player on the best team.
One would imagine that the Monday night win against the best team in the West would only elevate Jokic’s standing. Since it hasn’t though, fans believe that the 30-year-old center was pragmatically throwing shade at the conversation with his comment.
Responding to Jokic’s interview, one fan wrote, “Translation: “I’m the best player in the world, and should absolutely win MVP again this season, but they’re gonna give it to Shai because of voter fatigue.”
Translation: "I'm the best player in the world, and should absolutely win MVP again this season, but they're gonna give it to Shai because of voter fatigue."
— G-Freezy82 (@GregoryFriesen1) March 11, 2025
Yes, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is scoring more points than he ever has. But there’s a certain argument that lies in Jokic’s comment. If he’s playing at a greater level than he did during his 3 MVP campaigns, then surely, he must be performing at a higher level than Shai, who he beat out in the MVP race last year.
SGA is averaging fewer rebounds and steals than he did last season while Jokic’s points, rebounds, assists and steals have all seen an uptick. Surely, if he was the more valuable player last year, outperforming his competitor in nearly every statistical category this season should only help his case.
Nonetheless, as things currently stand, the Joker has 17 more games left to strengthen his campaign for a 4th MVP award in 5 years.
