Recently, the defending champs gripped their crown against the best team in the league, the Boston Celtics. Double-doubles from Jaylen Brown (41 points and 14 rebounds) and Kristaps Porzingis (24 points and 12 rebounds) fell short in the first quarter; thanks to Nikola Jokic’s triple-double. Jokic led the home squad with 32 points, 11 assists, and 12 rebounds, clinching a 115-109 win. The Denver Nuggets swept a season series of what is seen as a potential finals matchup. However, the sweet taste of dominance came with a minor setback, as Jokic finished the game harboring an injury.

As Denver gears up to face the Utah Jazz on Saturday, Nikola Jokic is listed as probable on their injury report. He is dealing with a right arm contusion and is anticipated to see an update as the game nears tip-off.

So far, Jokic has only missed two games in the season. With that, if Nikola Jokic is sidelined from the game, it would not affect his MVP candidacy under the new rules. Moreover, Denver has lost just one game since the All-Star break. With that, chances are that they can hold their own without Jokic against the Jazz. Regardless, no serious concern around the Joker’s injury has been radiated yet, signifying that he will fight for the tip-off on Saturday.

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Nikola Jokic stays on top of the MVP race

The Nuggets entered the season after the all-star break on a three-game losing streak. With motivations from head coach Michael Malone and Jokic, the team is now 7-1 ever since. Moreover, while maintaining numbers around his season average of 26 points per game, Jokic has notched 8 back-to-back double-doubles.

With that, and a meniscus issue restricting Joel Embiid, Jokic stays afloat at the top of the MVP race. His recent takeover against the C’s makes his case even stronger. Not only did it display his superstar tendencies on the court, but also helped Denver narrow their route to the top spot in the West.

Traliing Jokic is Oklahoma City Thunder’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, posting humungous 31.1 points per game. The youngster is on a breakout season, that can turn out to be better than Kobe Bryant’s sole MVP season. He is already edging past the legend in points, assists, and efficiency, only trailing in crashing the board.

Moreover, top contenders like Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jayson Tatum, and Luka Doncic do not see a major shift on the ladder in the recent update. However, Kawhi Leonard has made a significant climb, securing the #7 berth after previously holding the #9 spot. Moreover, Durant climbs up to #9 as Donovan Mitched falls down 3 steps to #10.