Nov 6, 2024; Denver, Colorado, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) shoots the ball past Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (15) in the second quarter at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

nba

NBA MVP Race: Nikola Jokic returns to top in the MVP ladder after a 37-point game vs. Pistons

The 2024 NBA MVP race has now become a two-player race between Nuggets' Nikola Jokic and OKC Thunder's Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.

For much of the 2024-25 NBA season, the race for MVP seemed like a foregone conclusion. Nikola Jokic, the three-time MVP, has been putting on video-game like numbers, averaging 30.5 points, 12.7 rebounds, and 9.5 assists per game.

However, as the calendar turns toward the halfway point of the season, there has been a tussle for the top of the MVP ladder. Oklahoma City Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander overtook Jokic after posting a career-high 45 points in a 120-114 win over the Indiana Pacers on Thursday.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has officially surpassed Nikola Jokic for the No. 1 spot on @bball_ref MVP tracker. 👀 pic.twitter.com/CFQvoovBGs
— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) December 28, 2024

This season, Gilgeous-Alexander is averaging 31.1 points, 6.1 assists, and 5.7 rebounds, while shooting an impressive 51.6% from the field and 35.4% from three-point range. His scoring has been explosive, and his efficiency has been remarkable. More importantly, his play has helped turn the Oklahoma City Thunder into one of the top teams in the NBA. The Thunder are currently leading the Western Conference with 25-5 record.

However, Jokic reclaimed the top spot in the MVP ladder after a 37-point game which led to a 134-121 win for Nuggets over Pistons on Saturday.

The Serbian finished the game with 37 points, 9 rebounds, and 8 assists to move to the top spot.

Also Read:

MVP Race Tightens

According to Basketball Reference, Gilgeous-Alexander had a 37.1% chance of winning MVP after his Thursday’s masterclass. However, Jokic’s latest performance has now put him ahead once again with 42.5% probability of winning his 4th MVP award. The OKC Thunder star is now pushed down to second with 33.1% chance of taking the MVP accolades.

Boston Celtics forward Jason Tatum is also in the mix, ranking third with a 7.3% chance of winning the award. Tatum, who’s averaging 38.7 points and 9.6 rebounds, is having another fantastic season, but for now, it’s a two-player race between Shai and Jokic.

Image Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

NBA MVP

Nikola Jokic

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

Swati Bhatia

nba

mlb

wnba

I work as a content strategist, specializing in creating engaging content about the NBA, WNBA, and MLB. My main focus is on writing breaking news updates, research-based articles, and covering trending topics. Right now, I’m leading the content team for the NBA, WNBA, and MLB categories at Playoffs English.