OKLAHOMA CITY — In two back-to-back thrilling games in Oklahoma City, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Nikola Jokic showcased why they are frontrunners for the NBA’s MVP award. Despite their incredible performances, neither has solidified their position as the leading contender for the honor.
Jokic, a three-time MVP winner, displayed his usual all-around skill set. On Sunday, despite the Denver Nuggets losing 127-103 to the Oklahoma City Thunder, he managed to accumulate an impressive 24 points, 13 rebounds, and nine assists. However, on Monday, Jokic was even more determined, scoring 35 points, grabbing 18 rebounds, and dishing out eight assists in a 140-127 victory, which pushed the Nuggets to second place in the conference standings.
According to Denver coach Michael Malone, Jokic’s understanding of the game is on another level. “Some people use the line, ‘Some people are playing checkers, and some are playing chess,'” Malone mused. “I mean, he (Jokic) is just a brilliant person, has a brilliant mind. And he sees things and he reads them at real speed. He’s not a guy that needs to watch the game film after it. He can pick it up as it’s going on. Tonight he was awesome.”
Jokic delivered a dominant performance notwithstanding injuries to his elbow and ankle, which Malone initially feared might keep his cornerstone player sidelined. Jokic was unfazed. “There’s a reason that he’s the best player in the world, because you know the guy just can dominate in so many different ways and forms,” Malone remarked.
Meanwhile, Gilgeous-Alexander, currently leading the NBA in scoring and guiding the Thunder to the top of the Western Conference, also impressed. He dropped 40 points on Sunday and followed that with a commendable 25-point outing on 8-for-14 shooting the following day. After Sunday’s victory, Gilgeous-Alexander expressed his appreciation for the electrified atmosphere created by the high-stakes doubleheader. “It’s like, what you get out of bed for as a competitor, as a basketball player,” he reflected. “It adds a little bit more pop and excitement to the games, without a doubt. Just walking out there pregame, you can feel it in the building.”
The Nuggets were glad to see Gilgeous-Alexander score eight points less than his average. Jokic lauded him, saying, “He’s definitely one of the top players in this league. He’s really talented. He’s so crafty. His mid-range has really, really, really, historical accuracy. He’s a great player. We tried to make him take bad shots or just get rid of the ball.”
In the end, the season series between the two teams concluded with a balanced outcome, as each team secured two wins apiece.
