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.

It's mid-May, and we still do not yet (officially) know who the 2025 NBA MVP is.

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.

For most of the Nikola Jokić era, the Nuggets' path to success hinged on the three-time MVP putting up near-historic numbers on a nightly basis. He averages near a triple-double most seasons, not only because he's absurdly talented,

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.

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.

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.

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