Nikola Jokic’s mere acknowledgment of a momentous season was an eye-opening development in the MVP race between him and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.

Gilgeous-Alexander is on the hunt for his first MVP and has left no doubt that he belongs in the conversation. After finishing second in voting last year, many felt he should have won due to OKC’s surprising rise to the No. 1 seed in the West. This season, he has only strengthened that argument.

The Denver Nuggets took down the first-place Oklahoma City Thunder on Monday night in a battle between MVP hopefuls Nikola Jokic and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. The Joker managed to outplay SGA, producing 35 points,