Nikola Jokic’s mere acknowledgment of a momentous season was an eye-opening development in the MVP race between him and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.

Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokić is not one for self-promotion. After back-to-back games against the Oklahoma City Thunder, who are led by fellow Most Valuable Player candidate Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jokić kept his comments about the award race succinct.

The NBA's top-two MVP candidates—Nikola Jokic and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander—faced off in back-to-back games between the Denver Nuggets and Oklahoma City Thunder on Sunday and Monday. Jokic and Gilgeous-Alexander got to directly go up against each other, and each prove their merits for the award.