By finishing second in this year’s MVP balloting behind only Oklahoma City's Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Nikola Jokic — the Denver Nuggets star — became just the third player in NBA history with a top-two finish in five or more consecutive seasons.

It became a two-man race between Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Denver Nuggets big Nikola Jokic, a three-time MVP winner. The Thunder and Nuggets met in the Western Conference semifinals with OKC, the top overall seed in the playoffs, winning the series in seven games.

A year after finishing as the runner-up for NBA MVP, Oklahoma City Thunder star guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has officially reached the pinnacle.