Nikola Jokic's knee injury clears the path for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to become the unanimous favorite for the 2025-26 NBA MVP.
Denver Nuggets superstar Nikola Jokic has suffered an injury that could dramatically reshape the NBA MVP race for the 2025-26 season.
According to ESPN's Shams Charania, Jokic hyperextended his left knee and is expected to miss at least a month. While this is unfortunate for the Nuggets, it opens the wide door for his main rival.
Before the injury, Jokic and reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander were seen as the frontrunners for the award.
Jokic was even closing in on overtaking Gilgeous-Alexander as the favorite. Now, however, Jokic has been taken off the board at every sportsbook, leaving Gilgeous-Alexander as a -450 favorite.
If Jokic misses roughly four weeks, as reported, he would sit out 16 of Denver's games. To remain eligible under the 65-game minimum rule, he could miss only one more game the rest of the season.
At this point, no other player seems to have a strong enough case to challenge SGA, who is averaging 32.2 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 6.4 assists per game, while leading the Oklahoma City Thunder to the best record in the league.
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