SGA’s MVP odds sliced in half after Nikola Jokic’s wild 30-20-20 game

When Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Oklahoma City Thunder meet Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets on Sunday and Monday, the NBA’s MVP race will still be up for grabs, thanks to a record-breaking performance on Friday night.

Jokic turned heads with the league’s first-ever 30-point, 20-rebound, 20-assist game as the Nuggets pulled out an overtime win against the Phoenix Suns. While the Joker is firmly behind in the MVP race and has been for some time, it brought him back way closer to the frontrunner SGA.

In just a few hours, the Thunder guard who finished second to Jokic last year for the Michael Jordan Trophy went from a -700 favorite to just -300. Jokic rose from +400 to +220. And the Nuggets game against the Suns was the first of seven in an eight-game stretch that will be on National TV—including both games between OKC and Denver.

On Friday, Jokic finished with 31 points on 13-of-22 shooting, 3-of-7 from three, and 2-of-3 from the line as he snagged 21 rebounds and dished out a career-high 22 assists. It was the second-most assists in Nuggets history to Fat Lever’s 23, who was in the house to be celebrated as a franchise icon. But nobody who has played hoops in the Mile High City is as iconic as Jokic, and this may go down as his most legendary game. It was a career high for helpers, topping his mark of 19 he set earlier this season, which passes Wilt Chamberlain for most by a center in league history. The occasion was just the third-ever 20-20-20 game, joining Wilt and Russell Westbrook—let alone the extra 10 points. And Jokic now ties Oscar Robertson with 15 times of reaching 15-15-15.

NBA MVP odds shift big, according to FanDuel

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander: -300 (-700 Friday morning)
Nikola Jokic: +220 (+400 Friday morning)
Jayson Tatum: +5,000
Giannis Antetokounmpo: +5,000
LeBron James: +5,000

MVP case for SGA

Gilgeous-Alexander is leading the West’s best Thunder to a 52-11 record, thanks to his league-leading 32.8 points per game. It’s the third season in a row the former Kentucky guard has scored over 30 a contest, and this season, he’s doing it more efficiently and for a better team. SGA leads the league in 40-point games (9), 30-point games (37) and 20-point games (59). He has scored at least 20 points in 56 straight games; the next-best streak on that list is Jalen Brunson with eight. SGA has also never won the award, and many voters may be sick of giving it to the Joker.

MVP case for Nikola Jokic

Jokic is pacing to become the first player in NBA history to finish top 20 in points, rebounds, assists and steals per game while shooting top 20 in field goal percentage and from deep. Through three-quarters of the season, Jokic isn’t just top 20 in all of that—he’s top 10. Jokic is pacing to become the first center to achieve a triple-double for a whole season at 28.9, 12.9, 10.6 per game, joining now teammate Russell Westbrook (four times) and Oscar Robertson as the only ones to do that. Even so, Jokic bests them as the only player to do so while shooting over 50% from the field. Though the Nuggets 41-22 record is just third-best in the West and way off OKC’s pace.

Before Denver’s win against the Suns, Jokic was tracking for the highest PER in league history.

What’s at stake for SGA

Gilgeous-Alexander would be the third MVP in OKC history, joining Kevin Durant and Westbrook.

What’s at stake for Nikola Jokic

Jokic is seeking a fourth MVP, which some will say the Nuggets center was already robbed of, and should be chasing a fifth. Still, only Wilt Chamberlain, James, Jordan, Bill Russell and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar have claimed the award at least four times—meaning Jokic would more or less cement himself as a top 10 player in the history of hoops.