At the beginning of the 2024-25 season, Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum and then Los Angeles Lakers forward-center Anthony Davis were the frontrunners in the 2025 NBA MVP award race, at least according to NBA.com. By the next week, Tatum and Davis found themselves overshadowed by Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic, already a three-time NBA MVP.
SGA-Jokic Battle Highlights Importance Of Tight NBA MVP Races
Over the next two months, multiple stars –namely Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo, Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell, San Antonio Spurs forward-center Victor Wembanyama, and then Dallas Mavericks point guard Luka Doncic –found themselves high up NBA.com’s MVP ladder as well.
However, on Jan. 10, Gilgeous-Alexander surged to the top of the leaderboard. At that point of the season, the 2024 NBA MVP runner-up was averaging 31.3 points, 6.1 assists, and 2.0 steals per game. Jokic, who had slipped to No. 2, was averaging 31.5 points, 13.0 rebounds, and 9.7 assists per game.
The Joker’s tricks had obviously led to him having the most impressive statistical output. Nevertheless, Gilgeous-Alexander had led the Thunder to the top of the Western Conference standings at 31-6, even with Chet Holmgren sidelined by an iliac fracture. Meanwhile, the Nuggets were just 22-15, hovering just outside the top-three of the Western Conference standings.
Ironically, Jokic beat out Gilgeous-Alexander in 2024 despite OKC having the West’s best record. However, at least in that season, Denver was a top-three team in the West. With that being said, in the two months that have passed, Gilgeous-Alexander and the Thunder continue to dominate. Nevertheless, Jokic and the Nuggets have picked up the pace as well, and now sit third in the Western Conference.
Drama, Controversy, Intrigue
For the players and fans, Gilgeous-Alexander and Jokic’s battle for MVP is deja vu. Nevertheless, a tight MVP race is definitely good for the league.
It’s no secret that the NBA is trying to find out how to increase viewership. Frankly, the league isn’t as popular as it was in the 1990s, when Michael Jordan was the No. 1 attraction. However, having multiple players with a legitimate chance of winning the league’s top individual award does make the regular season more interesting.
The fact of the matter is that sports fans live for drama. This is partly why NBA viewership peaked in Jordan’s second stint with the Bulls and LeBron James‘s stint with the Miami Heat. It’s why Christmas Day games, which often feature rival teams or players, tend to do so well. If the league can lean into drama when it comes to the regular season MVP, it only helps.
When Jokic puts up a historic 30-20-20 stat line despite not being considered the NBA MVP favorite, it’s controversial. When Gilgeous-Alexander puts up 40 points while outdueling Jokic in a head-to-head the following week, it’s riveting. Again, there are few things that sell as well as controversy and intrigue, drama’s fraternal twins.
MVP matchup today:
SGA — Joker —
40 PTS 24 PTS
8 REB 13 REB
5 AST 9 AST
3 BLK 3 BLKSGA gets the win. pic.twitter.com/Nm45RlL3Dq
— StatMuse (@statmuse) March 9, 2025
The metaphorical silver medalist will likely be disappointed by the loss, but the league wins.
© Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images
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