Telling reporters afterward that he's "playing the best basketball of my life," Denver star Nikola Jokic had 35 points, 18 rebounds and eight assists, as his Nuggets defeated the Western Conference-leading Oklahoma City Thunder 140-127 on Monday night.

After the game, head coach Michael Malone made headlines with his passionate defense of Jokic’s MVP credentials. His words cut through the hype that players like Shai Gilgeous-Alexander are getting about winning the MVP.