In the high-octane world of the NBA, where highlight reels and Twitter trends often dictate the narrative, we are currently sleepwalking through history. We are witnessing something so statistically absurd, so visually effortless, and so profoundly dominant that our collective brains seem unable to process it. Nikola Jokic, the Serbian maestro of the Denver Nuggets, is not just having a great season. He is having the best individual season in the history of basketball. And yet, in a twist that defies all logic, the conversation around the Most Valuable Player award suggests that it still might not be enough.

The Normalization of the Impossible

It is December 2025, and the numbers Nikola Jokic is putting up feel like a glitch in the simulation. We aren’t talking about a hot streak; we are talking about a sustained level of efficiency that has literally never been seen before. Jokic is currently averaging what is essentially a 30-point triple-double. But in an era of inflated stats, it’s not the volume that shocks you—it’s the efficiency.

Jokic’s true shooting percentage sits at a staggering 72%. To put that into perspective, he is taking the volume of shots of a primary scorer and making them at the rate of a catch-and-lob center. He leads the league in rebounds. He leads the league in assists—as a center. He dominates every advanced statistic available: Player Efficiency Rating (PER), Box Plus-Minus (BPM), and Win Shares per 48 minutes. In fact, the only records he is chasing at this point are his own. He holds the all-time career records for many of these metrics, and this season, he is on pace to shatter his own single-season bests.

Comparing him to his peers has become a futile exercise. We have to look at ghosts. The last time a big man produced anything remotely close to this combination of scoring and playmaking, the league looked completely different. We are invoking names like Wilt Chamberlain and Oscar Robertson, but even they didn’t do it with this level of surgical precision.

The “One-Man Army” Reality

The strongest argument against Jokic’s MVP candidacy—and the one currently propelling Oklahoma City’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (SGA) to the top of the betting odds—is the win column. The Thunder are racking up wins at a historic pace, potentially chasing all-time records. But this argument crumbles the moment you peel back the layers of context.

The Denver Nuggets are currently the second seed in the Western Conference, pacing toward a 62-win season. They are doing this not because they are a well-oiled machine of depth and health, but in spite of being a walking hospital ward. Aaron Gordon, the defensive anchor and lob threat who perfectly complements Jokic, has been out for over a month. Christian Braun, a key perimeter defender and energy guy, has also missed significant time. Peyton Watson, who stepped up admirably, got injured five minutes into a game against Houston.

On paper, this version of the Nuggets should be fighting for a play-in spot. They are missing two of their top four players. Yet, they possess the number one offense in the NBA, scoring more than two points per 100 possessions better than the next closest team. That is not a system victory; that is a carry job of Herculean proportions.

Contrast this with Oklahoma City. The Thunder are phenomenal, driven by a suffocating defense and incredible depth. If you take SGA off that roster, they remain an elite defensive team with a deep bench that would likely still make the playoffs comfortably. If you take Jokic off this current Nuggets roster? They are a lottery team. The disparity in value is immense. Jokic isn’t just the best player on his team; he is the system itself.

The Masterpiece Performances

The brilliance of this season isn’t just found in the averages, but in the specific nights where Jokic decides to remind the world of the gap between him and everyone else. Take the recent game against the Los Angeles Clippers. In just 33 minutes of action, Jokic dropped 55 points. He shot 78% from the field.

By the end of the third quarter, he had 52 points, and the game was such a blowout that he sat for most of the fourth. This wasn’t “empty stats” in a losing effort; it was a demolition. He finished with a plus-minus of +28. It was a performance so complete that it felt like he was playing a different sport than the defenders trying to stop him.

Then there were the games against the Houston Rockets. Houston is a legitimate squad this year, ranking just behind OKC in net rating. They match up well with almost everyone—except Denver. The Nuggets beat them twice this season, both times without their full roster. In one of those contests, despite the injuries to his supporting cast, Jokic posted 39 points, 15 rebounds, and 10 assists. He dissolved the Rockets’ defense, turning what should have been a matchup nightmare into a showcase of dominance.

The Roster Shuffle

It is worth noting that the Nuggets’ front office has tried to give him help, and the new additions have been crucial in keeping the ship afloat during this injury crisis. The acquisition of veterans like Tim Hardaway Jr. and Cam Johnson has finally provided the one thing Jokic has always craved: elite spacing. Hardaway Jr. is shooting the lights out, and Johnson provides a floor-stretching element that makes doubling Jokic lethal.

Furthermore, the return of Bruce Brown has brought back a grit and championship DNA that was sorely missed. And let’s not forget Jonas Valanciunas, who gives them a legitimate backup big man for the first time in ages. But even with these solid pieces, the engine is undeniably Jokic. The spacing works because Jokic finds the open man every single time. The cutters score because Jokic passes them open.

The Verdict

If the voters hand the MVP award to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander because the Thunder win a few more games, they will be making a decision that history will look back on with confusion. They will be rewarding team architecture over individual transcendence. They will be saying that the most dominant player of his generation, playing the best basketball of his life, simply cannot do enough to satisfy the moving goalposts of the narrative.

Nikola Jokic doesn’t have the flashy commercials. He doesn’t have the “stealth built” physique or the explosive highlight dunks. He waddles. He shoots wrong-footed floaters that kiss the rim softly. He looks like a guy who just clocked in for a shift at the factory. But make no mistake: what he is manufacturing is greatness.

We are watching a player compete against perfection every night and win. To deny him the MVP this season wouldn’t just be a snub; it would be a failure to recognize what is right in front of us. Nikola Jokic is the best player in the world, and it isn’t particularly close.