Nikola Jokić is the best basketball player on the planet, and he was also, importantly, the NBA's best player this season. But he is also almost certainly going to fall short in MVP voting to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander for reasons that were on full display in Game 5.

May, and we still do not yet (officially) know who the 2025 NBA MVP is. The likely winner is Oklahoma City Thunder star guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who helped pace the Thunder to a stellar 68-win regular season campaign.

Nikola Jokić lived up to his nickname on Friday, arriving at the Ball Arena wearing a Joker-inspired purple and green suit before helping the Denver Nuggets to a dramatic, overtime 113-104 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 3 of their playoff series.

In addition to his game-saving defensive plays in the series’ first two contests, Bridges has made up for offensive struggles with averages of 5.3 rebounds, 4.7 assists and 2.7 steals while playing a whopping 44.0 minutes per game.

As the Denver Nuggets navigate the 2025 NBA playoffs, their quest for another championship has exposed a critical need: a consistent second scoring option to complement Nikola Jokić. With the team facing challenges in maintaining offensive firepower,

The conference semifinals series between the Denver Nuggets and the Oklahoma City Thunder features intense matchups. After the Thunder’s victory in Game 4, the series is now tied at 2-2. Meanwhile, some surprising insights about Nikola Jokic and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander have emerged.

Nikola Jokić turns in a 3rd straight subpar shooting performance, and the Thunder outlast the Nuggets in a rugged and raw Game 4.

Gordon wasn't wrong about officials catching Jokić in the act. The Nuggets' big man fouled out of the contest in the third quarter, essentially ending any hope of a Denver comeback. Jokić finished the game with 17 points, 8 rebounds and 6 assists.