This year's MVP race is pretty much a two-man race, as Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Nikola Jokic are the expected top-two finishers in the award's voting. Gilgeous-Alexander's breakout season has helped lead the Thunder to the Western Conference Finals, but Jokic is looking for his third MVP in four years after carrying a flawed Nuggets team as far as he did.

Gilgeous-Alexander's Thunder defeated Jokic's Nuggets in the second round of the playoffs, meaning the guard is still playing and has a chance to lead Oklahoma City to the NBA Finals. However, Jokic had to carry a much more flawed Denver team as far as he could, a sign of his greatness and a potential proof of his MVP candidacy.