Nikola Jokic Leads 2025 NBA MVP Race, Outshining Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
Posted on 12 Mar 2025
Nikola Jokic continues to dominate the NBA, making him the frontrunner for the 2025 MVP award. His biggest competitor remains Oklahoma City Thunder's Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who has been putting up impressive numbers this season.
However, Jokic’s statistical performance in 2024-2025 has surpassed even his previous three MVP-winning seasons. In a crucial matchup between the Denver Nuggets and the Thunder, Jokic led his team to a 140-127 victory, tying the season series at 2-2.
Despite dealing with an elbow and wrist issue from the night before, Jokic nearly secured a triple-double with 35 points, 18 rebounds, and 8 assists while shooting 75% from the field.
Read More: https://www.esnnews.com/post/payton-pritchard-derrick-white-celtics-historic-win-trail-blazers Jokic’s dominance this season is undeniable, averaging a triple-double with 28.9 points, 12 rebounds, and 10.5 assists per game.
His ability to elevate his team’s performance makes him the strongest MVP candidate. Even Jokic himself acknowledges the tight competition, stating, “This is the third or fourth straight year I have no control over it.
I think I’m playing the best basketball of my life, and that’s enough. If not, then SGA deserves it—he's a great player.” Meanwhile, SGA leads the league in scoring with 32.7 points per game, proving to be a formidable challenger for the MVP award after finishing as a runner-up last season.
Read More: https://www.esnnews.com/post/shai-gilgeous-alexander-nba-top-scorer-51-points Despite SGA’s excellence, Jokic’s impact on the game is historic.
The Serbian superstar has recorded 50 double-doubles and 29 triple-doubles—the highest in the league. On March 7, he became the first player in NBA history to post at least 30 points, 20 rebounds, and 20 assists in a single game.
With three MVP awards in the past four seasons, Jokic is on the brink of solidifying his legacy further. If he secures the 2025 MVP title, this could be the most dominant stretch of his career, cementing him as one of the greatest players of his generation.
