DENVER — The Denver Nuggets just survived the toughest first-round battle of the NBA playoffs, edging out the Los Angeles Clippers in a grueling, high-stakes series that tested every ounce of their resolve.
Their reward? A second-round matchup with the top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder — and MVP finalist Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
Correction: The 72-win Oklahoma City Thunder.
“It feels good, but I know we’re flying to OKC tomorrow,” said Nuggets coach David Adelman after Saturday night’s Game 7 win. “This wasn’t the championship. It felt like one because the series was so wild. But we move on.”
And what’s waiting in the next round isn’t just a ticket to the Western Conference Finals — it’s also a heavyweight MVP subplot: Nikola Jokić vs. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
Jokić Not Focused on MVP Debate
Though both stars are finalists for this season’s MVP award, Jokić — already a three-time MVP — downplayed any personal rivalry.
“I think that’s the last thing on both of our minds,” Jokić said after the game.
Still, the respect for Gilgeous-Alexander was clear.
“Very different player,” Jokić said. “He plays at multiple speeds. Even when you defend well, it still feels easy for him. He changes pace, he handles the ball, he can post up, and that mid-range shot is basically unguardable. He’s a very special player.”
Comparing MVP Resumes
Gilgeous-Alexander led the league in scoring, anchored the Thunder to the league’s best record, and finished slightly ahead of Jokić in win shares per 48 minutes — a strong MVP indicator.
Jokić, however, may have just completed the most statistically dominant season in NBA history. He averaged a career-best 29.6 points and became just the third player ever — and the first center — to average a triple-double for a season. His Player Efficiency Rating (32.04) ranks fourth all-time, ahead of Gilgeous-Alexander’s 30.66.
His teammate Christian Braun was quick to praise him.
“Nikola may have had the greatest season ever,” Braun said. “Night in and night out, I don’t know if we’ll ever see anything like it again.”
Still, Denver finished 18 games behind OKC in the standings, and MVP voting may reflect some fatigue toward Jokić’s dominance — many expect Gilgeous-Alexander to take the award.
MVP Race Takes a Backseat to the Bigger Prize
Regardless of who walks away with the MVP trophy, the second-round series will settle a more immediate question: Who advances in the playoffs?
The MVP votes are already cast. The Western Conference crown is still up for grabs. For Jokić, Gilgeous-Alexander, and their teams, that’s what really matters now.