It's not often that MVP finalists meet in the postseason, meaning this year's semifinals matchup between the Nuggets and Thunder is a rare one.
One year after Denver's Nikola Jokic and Oklahoma City's Shai Gilgeous-Alexander finished first and second, respectively, in the MVP race, they are two of three finalists for MVP of the 2024-25 season. Both players turned in historic seasons and both have built ironclad cases to win the award.
While the Nuggets were the West's fourth seed, Jokic became the first center in league history to average a triple-double with marks of 29.6 points, 12.7 rebounds and 10.2 assists per game. Gilgeous-Alexander, on the other hand, led the Thunder to a historically dominant 68-win season with a league-leading 32.7 points per game to go along with 6.4 assists and 5.0 rebounds per contest.
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There is, of course, more to it than the counting stats that meet the eye. With that in mind and the two set to share the court with a Western Conference Finals berth on the line, let's peel back the layers of this year's MVP debate between Jokic and Gilgeous-Alexander.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander vs. Nikola Jokic stats
Some of the per-game averages were outlined above, but efficiency and the full complement of numbers must also be taken into account.
Among the most important numbers is wins and the Thunder were an NBA-best 68-14 this season, including a 63-13 (.829) mark when Gilgeous-Alexander played. The Nuggets finished with a 50-32 record and were 46-24 (.657) with Jokic in the lineup.
Let's begin with the counting stats, which mostly benefit Jokic.
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Per game stats
| Stat | Gilgeous-Alexander | Jokic |
| Games (Record) | 76 (63-13) | 70 (46-24) |
| Points | 32.7 | 29.6 |
| Rebounds | 5.0 | 12.7 |
| Assists | 6.4 | 10.2 |
| Steals | 1.7 | 1.8 |
| Blocks | 1.0 | 0.6 |
| Turnovers | 2.4 | 3.3 |
| Minutes | 34.2 | 36.7 |
| FG% | 51.9 | 57.6 |
| 3P% | 37.5 | 41.7 |
| FT% | 89.8 | 80.0 |
Per 36 minutes stats
Because of Jokic's heavy workload, he averaged over 36.7 minutes per game and his numbers take an ever-so-slight downturn per 36. Gilgeous-Alexander's numbers slightly increase as he averaged 34.4 minutes per game this season, a product of OKC's tendency to blow opponents out.
| Stat | Gilgeous-Alexander | Jokic |
| Points | 34.4 | 29.0 |
| Rebounds | 5.3 | 12.5 |
| Assists | 6.7 | 10.0 |
| Steals | 1.8 | 1.8 |
| Blocks | 1.1 | 0.6 |
| Turnovers | 2.5 | 3.2 |
MORE: Thunder vs. Nuggets prediction, preview, and keys to the series | Why Nikola Jokic won SN Player of the Year over SGA
Total stats
Gilgeous-Alexander played in six more games than Jokic, which is partly reflected in some of the total stats, namely the gaps in scoring and blocks. Jokic has the edge nearly everywhere else and almost saw as many minutes as Gilgeous-Alexander despite appearing in six fewer games.
| Stat | Gilgeous-Alexander | Jokic |
| Points | 2,484 | 2,071 |
| Rebounds | 379 | 892 |
| Assists | 486 | 716 |
| Steals | 131 | 127 |
| Blocks | 77 | 45 |
| Turnovers | 183 | 230 |
| Minutes | 2,598 | 2,571 |
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander vs. Nikola Jokic advanced stats
Jokic also gets the edge with the majority of advanced stats from the regular season. Gilgeous-Alexander has a slight edge in win shares and had a higher usage rate.
The comparison in True Shooting Percentage is notable in that Gilgeous-Alexander, a high-usage guard, finished in the same area as one of the league's most physically imposing centers. These numbers truly help encapsulate just how historic the campaigns from Gilgeous-Alexander have been.
| Stat | Gilgeous-Alexander | Jokic |
| Player Efficiency Rating | 30.7 | 32.0 |
| Value Over Replacement | 8.9 | 9.8 |
| Box Plus/Minus | 11.5 | 13.3 |
| Win Shares | 16.7 | 16.4 |
| True Shooting % | 63.7 | 66.3 |
| Usage % | 34.8 | 29.5 |