Nuggets fans probably weren’t the only ones celebrating after Denver’s Game 7 win over the Clippers in the first round, allowing them to face their division rival, the Oklahoma City Thunder, in the Western Conference semifinals. While neither the Thunder nor the Nuggets are among the NBA’s most followed franchises, this second-round series was able to give us the most high-profile clash of individuals the National Basketball Association currently has to offer, a battle of the two MVP frontrunners between Nikola Jokic and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Not only that, it was a battle between a veteran championship-winning team against the youngest team in this year’s playoffs, looking to finally prove themselves in the postseason. This series promised so much before it started that it basically could only disappoint. But in the end, not only did it meet expectations, it even surpassed them.
Who Won the Battle of the MVPs?
Although the MVP race was settled well before the Nuggets-Thunder series began, with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander rightfully poised to claim the award, the debate over who truly holds the title of the league’s best player remains very much alive. That conversation is fueled in part by the contrast in their playing styles. SGA dominates by attacking defenders off the dribble, using surgical drives and a lethal midrange jumper to score at will. Jokic, on the other hand, dictates the flow of the game through his unmatched passing and elite basketball IQ, often setting up teammates before seeking his own shot.
Defensively, SGA had the clear edge throughout the regular season, consistently disrupting passing lanes and defending at a high level. But Jokić has elevated his defense in the playoffs, especially in terms of positioning, anticipation, physicality, and especially effort. That evolution could have flipped the narrative on who is the more complete two-way force in this matchup.
This direct clash also provided the perfect opportunity to show which style is more effective and if it were possible to neutralize the opposing MVP candidate to some extent.
A MVP Battle that Lived Up to the Hype
Both teams had several schemes they could throw at the opposition’s superstar that were obvious before the series. The Thunder could try to bother Jokić with a twin-tower lineup of Chet Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein. Or they could have gone small, swarming him with athletic wings like the Clippers did at times, with players like Luguentz Dort and Alex Caruso being able to bother Jokic with their quick hands and toughness, respectively.
On the other side, the Nuggets hoped to contain SGA with their perimeter stoppers—Christian Braun, Aaron Gordon, and Peyton Watson—would this work as well as it did against Kawhi Leonard and James Harden in the first round, or is the Canadian simply unguardable?
In the end, this series not only gave us answers to many of those questions, it also introduced a lot of unexpected schemes and defensive adjustments, especially from the rookie coach David Adelman. This led to a lot of variance in the performances from both MVP candidates, forcing them to adjust on the fly from game to game.
Hartenstein and the Thunder’s Activity Making Jokic Uncomfortable
Both MVPs made a significant impact on the series. Jokić dominated Games 1 and 5, and while his Game 4 stats didn’t jump off the page, his performance ranked among the most complete two-way efforts of his career. In the first round, Ivica Zubac drew praise for his defense against the Serbian, but Hartenstein has proven to be even more effective. He consistently shut off Jokić’s right hand and held his ground physically, preventing the Serbian from scoring easily. This resulted in one of Jokic’s most inefficient stretches in recent memory.
The contrast became glaring whenever Jokic found himself matched up with Holmgren—he attacked the youngster relentlessly in the post, turning every switch into an easy scoring opportunity. In addition to the scoring difficulty, the Thunder also disrupted Jokic’s playmaking through aggressive help defense and staying active in the passing lanes. Caruso, Dort, Cason Wallace, and SGA played key roles in creating turnovers, while Jaylin Williams provided valuable bench minutes, defending Jokic with unexpected success.
Most notably, in Game 7, Caruso and Dort’s relentless denial of entry passes made it hard for Denver to even get the ball to the Serbian, resulting in several costly turnovers that helped fuel OKC’s blowout win.
While the Nuggets ultimately fell short, Jokic’s brilliance still pushed the Thunder to the brink. His performance was so impactful that this series will likely stand as OKC’s by far toughest test of the postseason.
Christian Braun and the Zone Giving SGA Headaches
On the flip side, SGA has absolutely held his own with a string of strong performances. However, the Nuggets managed to slow the Canadian down at times, largely thanks to Christian Braun and the implementation of the zone defense. Braun has continued his postseason rise after a strong Clippers series, proving capable of defending even the league’s most dangerous perimeter scorer one-on-one. This allowed Denver to avoid over-helping, limiting SGA’s playmaking opportunities, and forcing more of that responsibility onto Jalen Williams.
Perhaps most impressive of all was coach David Adelman’s unwavering commitment to the zone defense. After OKC shredded it in Games 1 and 2, many—myself included—would’ve abandoned the approach. But Adelman stuck with it, and starting in Game 3, it clearly disrupted the Thunder’s usually explosive offense. OKC didn’t consistently crack the scheme until Game 7, and even then, Denver’s biggest problems were self-inflicted, as they allowed tons of transition points off live-ball turnovers.
These adjustments helped mask Jokic’s defensive limitations and allowed him to thrive in a more defined role, similar to how SGA functions in OKC’s system, where their quick hands and defensive IQ are valuable assets. Adelman’s zone also exposed offensive weaknesses in the Thunder’s supporting cast. Holmgren and Jalen Williams struggled with inconsistent shooting, while Hartenstein lost touch with his usually reliable floater.
SGA remained the only consistent offensive weapon despite some of his inefficient games. No scheme can truly shut him down, and he capitalized on nearly every defensive mistake Denver made. Like Jokic, when he got the matchup he wanted—often Jamal Murray—he consistently exploited it, dominating his fellow Canadian.
The Last Word on the Battle of the MVPs
In the end, there’s no objectively correct answer to who’s been the better player this series. Jokic put up historic numbers in Game 1, but I felt SGA outplayed him in that game, thanks to his far superior defensive impact. Add in Jokic’s disastrous Game 3 performance, and the Canadian had the clear edge in the first half of the series.
However, the tide shifted. Jokic adjusted to the Thunder’s defense, returned to form offensively, and outplayed SGA in the latter games, culminating in his absolutely masterful game 5 performance. What separates them most is Jokic’s ability to impact the game through more avenues, especially as a playmaker. SGA had stretches where he contributed little beyond scoring, while Jokic consistently orchestrated the Nuggets’ entire offense. Defensively, the once-glaring gap between them has closed this postseason.
In the end, the Thunder won because they had the deeper, more complete team, especially with Michael Porter Jr., Jamal Murray, and Aaron Gordon battling injuries and illness throughout the series. While OKC could afford to give SGA extended rest at times, Denver had no such luxury. The Nuggets simply rely too heavily on Jokic to ever take him off the floor for extended periods.
Ultimately, while SGA has been brilliant and is fully deserving of the MVP award, I believe Jokic has been the superior player in this series. That said, it’s worth noting that SGA’s outstanding performances in Games 2 and 7 may be overshadowed by the Thunder’s overall dominance in those contests. But one thing is certain: the battle of the MVPs more than lived up to the hype.
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