Before Game 1 of his Western Conference semifinals series against the Oklahoma City Thunder, Denver Nuggets All-Star Nikola Jokic explained what makes Thunder All-Star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander such an explosive caliber player. While many anticipate a dominant series for Jokic, his counterpart for this year's MVP award won't be easy for the Nuggets to contain, as the top candidates for Most Valuable Player go toe-to-toe in Game 1 on Monday.

Jokic revealed there isn't a defense in the NBA that shuts Gilgeous-Alexander down, which makes the MVP candidate such an elite scorer, per ESPN's Ramona Shelburne.

“He's a very different player,” Jokic said. “He's playing on so many levels, speed, as a scorer. Everything looks so easy for him. Even when you are like, ‘Oh, that's a good defense.' It feels so easy for him, and he's amazing with a change of speed, change of rhythm, ballhandling. He can post up guys, he can go by guys, his shooting at the midrange is unguardable basically. He's a very special player.”

In a rare back-to-back at the Paycom Center, the Nuggets split the games against the Thunder after a 127-103 loss. After the game, Jokic addressed his MVP race with Gilgeous-Alexander.

“I think I'm playing the best basketball of my life. So if that's enough, it's enough,” Jokic said after the Nuggets' 140-127 win over Gilgeous-Alexander and the Thunder.

“If not, [Gilgeous-Alexander] deserves it. He's really amazing.”

Jokic finished with 35 points, 18 rebounds, and eight assists in the Nuggets' win. Thunder All-Star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander countered with 25 points, seven assists, three rebounds, and two steals.

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Nikola Jokic makes triple-double history in Nuggets' series win

Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (15) reacts from the bench in the third quarter against the LA Clippers during game seven of first round for the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Ball Arena
Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

After becoming just the third player in NBA history this season to average a triple-double, joining Oscar Robertson and teammate Russell Westbrook, Nuggets All-Star Nikola Jokic made playoff history in his series against the Clippers. In those six seasons (Westbrook averaged a triple-double in four of them, one for each Jokic and Robertson), Jokic is the first player to win a playoff series in the same year he averaged a triple-double, per WinesburgOhio on Reddit/nba.

Jokic averaged 24.0 points on 50% shooting, 11.6 rebounds, 10.1 assists, and 2.3 steals per game, carrying the triple-double average into the postseason before eliminating the Clippers 4-3 after the Nuggets' 120-101 victory in Game 7. It's an impressive feat for the league's reigning MVP, facing the top-seeded Thunder team fresh off a week-long rest after sweeping the Grizzlies 4-0 in their opening-round series.

Game 1 of the Western Conference semifinals is at the Paycom Center on Monday.