ClutchPoints’ NBA MVP Mondays: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s triumphant return vs. Nikola Jokic puts him back in No. 1 spot

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Nikola Jokic, the two players who have jockeyed for position at the top of the NBA MVP rankings all season, have played two games against each other so far this season. The Oklahoma City Thunder and SGA claimed the first matchup, which set up a highly anticipated game on Friday between these two foes.

Once again, the Thunder were victorious over the Denver Nuggets, winning 127-121 in overtime. Although Jokic had 23 points, 17 rebounds, and 14 assists in the game for his league-leading 22nd triple-double of the season, it was Gilgeous-Alexander who stole the spotlight with 36 points in his first game back since suffering an abdominal strain before the All-Star break.

This was a big game for Gilgeous-Alexander to be thrown back into action for, but this head-to-head matchup against the three-time MVP definitely mattered for the defending league MVP. Aside from this being a chance for the Thunder to grow their lead in the Western Conference standings, it was a chance for Gilgeous-Alexander to prove that he should win back-to-back MVP awards.

Well, after yet another strong showing against Jokic and the Nuggets, Oklahoma City’s star has moved back into the top spot on the NBA MVP rankings with six weeks remaining in the regular season.

Two more matchups against these two MVP candidates remain, and these battles will undoubtedly hold equal weight in helping determine this year’s MVP. However, there is still an outside chance for others to steal first-place votes.

Cade Cunningham has put together a stellar season and has only increased the Detroit Pistons’ lead for the 1-seed in the East. Jaylen Brown has led the Boston Celtics to the second-best record in the East without Jayson Tatum, and Luka Doncic leads the league in scoring for the Los Angeles Lakers.

And then there is Victor Wembanyama, who continues to lead the San Antonio Spurs, who are just three games behind Gilgeous-Alexander and the Thunder in the West standings, and they have dominated Oklahoma City this season.

Could any of these other MVP candidates move up past Jokic or Gilgeous-Alexander over the course of the next several weeks? Here’s where the MVP rankings currently stand now that SGA is back on top.

Previous 2023-24 NBA MVP Rankings: Week 18 | Week 17 | Week 16 | Week 15 | Week 14 | Week 13 | Week 12 | Week 11 | Week 10 | Week 9 | Week 8 | Week 7 | Week 6 | Week 5 | Week 4 | Week 3 | Week 2 | Week 1

1. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander – Oklahoma City Thunder*

Previous ranking: #2

2025-26 season stats: 51 games, 31.8 points, 6.4 assists, 4.4 rebounds, 1.4 steals, 55.1 FG%, 38.1 3P%

*Can only miss a maximum of 6 more games to remain eligible.

Gilgeous-Alexander missed nine straight games before he returned on Friday night against Jokic and the Nuggets, meaning he is only allowed to miss six more games for the remainder of the season to remain eligible for end-of-season honors and awards like MVP.

At no point did Gilgeous-Alexander look rusty in this game, as he shot 12-of-29 from the floor and scored 36 points while also recording nine assists. He followed up this performance with another 30-point performance on Sunday against the Dallas Mavericks, leading Oklahoma City to two straight wins.

The Thunder now lead the Spurs by three games for the 1-seed in the Western Conference, and Gilgeous-Alexander has inched closer to history with his two big scoring performances since returning from injury.

Gilgeous-Alexander has now scored at least 20 points in 123 straight games, meaning he is three games away from tying Wilt Chamberlain’s record of 126 consecutive games with 20-plus points.

2. Nikola Jokic – Denver Nuggets*

Previous ranking: #1

2025-26 season stats: 45 games, 28.8 points, 12.6 rebounds, 10.5 assists, 1.4 steals, 57.0 FG%, 40.1 3P%

*Can only miss a maximum of 1 more game to remain eligible.

As good as Jokic’s numbers may look, he has not looked like himself since returning from his hyperextended left knee.

In the 13 games Jokic has played in since returning from his knee injury, the Nuggets’ star has averaged 26.8 points, 13.8 rebounds, and 9.2 assists per game while shooting 49 percent from the floor. Obviously, these are MVP-like stats, but what stands out is his 4.1 turnovers per game during this span.

Jokic’s efficiency has declined, his shooting splits are down, and the turnovers are a concern. Not to mention, Denver as a whole has not been playing well and has now fallen to the 5-seed in the Western Conference.

These are the main reasons why Jokic has fallen behind Gilgeous-Alexander in the MVP race.

3. Cade Cunningham – Detroit Pistons

Previous ranking: #3

2025-26 season stats: 53 games, 25.5 points, 9.8 assists, 5.8 rebounds, 1.5 steals, 46.0 FG%, 33.2 3P%

Outside of Gilgeous-Alexander and Jokic, if there is another player anyone wants to vote for this season for MVP, it should be Cade Cunningham. Aside from him being the “feel-good” story with the Detroit Pistons, Cunningham has arguably been the best complete guard in the league this season, making a greater two-way impact than that of Gilgeous-Alexander.

Only Jokic has averaged more assists than Cunningham this year, and what the Pistons’ star has done to lead his team to the top of the East standings is remarkable. Not only is he doing so with his scoring, but Cade has set the tough-minded standard for how the Pistons will play each and every night.

He doesn’t back down to any opponent, and Cunningham takes the fight to the opposition for all 48 minutes, putting all the pressure of the game on them. That is what has allowed Jalen Duren to have a breakout All-Star campaign, and that is what has allowed this young Pistons team to suddenly be the favorites to make the NBA Finals out of the East.

Between not missing hardly any games and being on the team with the best win percentage in the entire NBA, Cunningham is certainly right there with SGA and Jokic in the MVP race. Quite honestly, if you look at the MVP race through the lens of a player who has exceeded expectations at the top of the league, Cunningham is the MVP. If you ask JB Bickerstaff, he would tend to agree.

4. Victor Wembanyama – San Antonio Spurs*

Previous ranking: #4

2025-26 season stats: 46 games, 23.7 points, 11.2 rebounds, 2.9 blocks, 50.1 FG%, 34.1 3P%

*Can only miss a maximum of 4 more games to remain eligible.

Since the All-Star break, Victor Wembanyama has averaged 19.2 points, 12.0 rebounds, and 4.3 blocks per game while shooting 42.7 percent from the floor. His plus-minus stats over his last six games are among the best in the league, but Wemby’s MVP case unfortunately comes down to where the San Antonio Spurs end up in the West standings.

Should the Spurs pass Gilgeous-Alexander and the Thunder, it would be hard to deny Wemby the MVP award simply because he would have the numbers and the best record in the NBA to back it up.

However, as of right now, what Gilgeous-Alexander has done with the best record in the West supersedes Wembanyama’s success. While many would argue this is an individual award that should be given to the best player in the league over the course of the entire season, team success always plays a role in this award race every year.

This season is no different, and while Wemby can increase his MVP odds by continuing to elevate his playdown the stretch run of the season, the Spurs will still need to pass the Thunder in the standings for him to win MVP.

5. Luka Doncic – Los Angeles Lakers*

Previous ranking: #5

2025-26 season stats: 48 games, 32.5 points, 8.6 assists, 7.7 rebounds, 1.4 steals, 47.3 FG%, 36.0 3P%

*Can only miss a maximum of 5 more games to remain eligible.

The only MVP case one can make for Luka Doncic at this juncture is that he leads the league in scoring, and his near triple-double numbers are the best of his career. While these two things can be true, there’s not much of an argument one can make about Doncic being above any of the other four players ahead of him in the MVP rankings.

Not only is Doncic behind the level of play Gilgeous-Alexander and Jokic have been at all season, but the expectations both Cunningham and Wembanyama have surpassed mean more in this race as well. Also, the Los Angeles Lakers have not been playing well lately and are in danger of falling into the play-in region of the West standings.

Very few players have won the MVP award with their team not being near the top of the league standings, and those who did had historic seasons that will forever be remembered in NBA history. That is not the case this year with Doncic.

Just missing the cut

6. Jaylen Brown – Boston Celtics [Ranked No. 6 last week]

7. Anthony Edwards – Minnesota Timberwolves [Ranked No. 8 last week]

8. Donovan Mitchell – Cleveland Cavaliers [Ranked No. 7 last week]

9. Jalen Brunson – New York Knicks [Ranked No. 9 last week]

10. Kevin Durant – Houston Rockets [Ranked No. 10]

*Signals player is in danger of meeting 65-game minimum threshold for awards/accolades.

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