Last night, Nikola Jokić made a strong case for the GOAT tag with a historic performance. He became the first player in NBA history to record a 30-20-20. This is what the Serbian baller had to churn out to defeat the Phoenix Suns in the overtime thriller. Following this unprecedented effort, a reporter asked Kevin Durant if the Nuggets big man was an “underdog” at the regular MVP race.

Yes, just like we all were taken aback, KD was also stunned. But he didn’t let it slide away easily. 

“No, he’s not. Stop. I’m not going to let y’all keep doing, man. Jokic is never an underdog in any situation. Stop,” said the Slim Reaper instantly. Of course, anyone would deny that Jokic is an underdog right after he drops a triple-double on them. But in the context of the MVP race, the big man seemed to have taken a dip. Up until last week, the 3x MVP led the race, keeping Shai Gilgeous-Alexander at bay. 

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However, things have changed a bit this week after SGA dropped his 4th 50-pointer in a 19-game span. In short, it’s a tight race with only weeks remaining for the postseason. On the other end, Kevin Durant, who refused to call Jokic an underdog, had his say on the MVP race. “I don’t know who it should be. Both of them are playing great ball,” said KD, placing a safe bet.

At the same time, the 2x NBA Champ stood up for the Nuggets big man, when the reporter asked if his three previous MVP awards would hold him back this season. “I don’t think that’s fair at all like, voter fatigue. No, if he’s balling out, he balling out.” Most importantly, KD found the two-sided nature of race in a positive light, saying, “It’s only good for our league when you see guys like that… You don’t see a clear-cut MVP… It’s going to be a race down to the wire.” Who do you think will win the MVP? I think we might get a clear picture in a few days.

Amid Kevin Durant’s verdict, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Nikola Jokic battle it out

It has been a back-and-forth battle between Shai and Jokic from the start of the season. The OKC Thunder guard has made a strong case himself, consistently dropping 30-pointers and taking his team to the top of the ladder. Most importantly, SGA not only led the team on the offensive end with the most points and the highest average (32.8) but also dominated on the defensive end as well. He is only next to Dyson Daniels for total steals.

On the other hand, the 3rd seeding Nuggets’ center, Nikola Jokic, has averaged a triple-double ( 28.8 points, 12.8 rebounds, 10.4 assists). Nuff said. However, the big man dropped to the second spot in the race after SGA’s consistent high-scoring efforts. More or less, we can say, they both are the same level.

But the duo have a golden chance to flip things around. They have two back-to-back games coming up starting tonight. If one of them manages to win both games, then it might definitely impact the MVP race. Who do you think will win it? Especially after Jokic’s historic performance? Let us know in the comments.