Playing back-to-back seven-game series, Denver had Oklahoma hand them a semi-final exit. After proceeding to the WCF, the Thunder showed complete dominance in Game 1. Addressing OKC's win, Mike Malone mentioned how Shai showed he was the true MVP, stirring up social media.

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.

I did vote for him again this year, if I had a vote,” Malone, appearing as a guest analyst on ESPN before Game 2 between the Thunder and the Minnesota Timberwolves, said of Jokic, his