Nikola Jokic doesn’t care about the MVP race—but that doesn’t mean he shouldn’t win it.
On Monday night, the Denver Nuggets beat the Oklahoma City Thunder, 140-127, in a battle between two MVP front-runners: Jokic and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. The reigning MVP responded with a dominant 35-point, 18-rebound, 8-assist performance, leading Denver to a statement victory. And afterward, Jokic addressed the conversation head-on.
“I will say that I think I’m playing the best basketball of my life, so if that’s enough, that’s enough. If not, (SGA) deserves it.” (ESPN)
A classic Jokic response. Humble. Unconcerned. But here’s the thing: He’s right.
For all the talk about SGA leading the top-seeded Thunder, Jokic is quietly putting together one of the most dominant seasons in NBA history. He’s averaging a triple-double (28.8 points, 12.9 rebounds, 10.5 assists) on absurd efficiency (58% FG, 43% 3PT) while carrying a heavier workload than ever before. This isn’t just MVP-level basketball. This is Jokic at his absolute peak.
So why does it feel like he’s being overlooked?
The MVP Debate: Stats vs. Narrative
The MVP race is often as much about storylines as it is about statistics. And in that department, SGA has the edge. The Thunder are the NBA’s best team record-wise, Gilgeous-Alexander leads the league in scoring (32.9 PPG), and OKC’s rise to dominance is one of the season’s best narratives.
But is that enough to ignore history? Because that’s what Jokic is making right now.
- First non-guard to average a triple-double. Only Oscar Robertson and Russell Westbrook have done it before.
- Top-three in points, rebounds, and assists. No player has ever finished a season ranked that high in all three categories.
- Career highs in nearly every major stat. More points, more assists, better efficiency—all while playing the most minutes of his career.
It’s the same argument that worked for Westbrook in 2017. Back then, voters dismissed team seeding because averaging a triple-double was considered historic. Why is it different now?
Jokic Only Cares About Rings—But Should That Matter?
Here’s the real problem: Jokic doesn’t campaign for MVPs. He doesn’t feed the media machine, doesn’t drop cryptic social posts, and doesn’t spend interviews hyping himself up. He just plays. And wins.
The Nuggets, now the No. 2 seed, aren’t chasing regular-season accolades. They’re focused on a championship run. And that, ironically, might be the biggest knock against Jokic’s MVP case. He isn’t making voters feel like he needs it.
But the reality? He just might deserve it. Because if the award is about the best player in the world, then there’s no debate.
SGA might win MVP. He’s had an incredible season, and there’s no denying his impact on the Thunder. But let’s be real: If you ask every GM in the NBA who they’d take in a must-win game, they’re picking Jokic 10 times out of 10.
And that should matter.
The MVP conversation isn’t over. But if Jokic keeps playing like this, he won’t just be collecting awards—he’ll be collecting championships for years to come.
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