To the surprise of few, Nuggets superstar Nikola Jokic ran away with his third MVP award for his efforts during the 2023-24 NBA season. And while few were surprised, many were upset that Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander did not receive the honor.
Hall of Famer Shaquille O'Neal was among the first to express his displeasure with Gilgeous-Alexander missing out on the award, and many basketball fans on social media soon followed.
Based on precedent, O'Neal and the fans on social media have a right to be displeased.
Gilgeous-Alexander led the Thunder to a 57-25 record and the West's No. 1 seed while averaging 30.1 points and turning in a franchise-record 51 games with 30-plus points. The 25-year-old is the first player since 1967 to average 30-plus points per game on the West's top seed and not win MVP, per StatMamba.
With Gilgeous-Alexander's case in mind, it's important to note that Jokic led Denver to an identical 57-25 record with impressive averages, eye-popping advanced stats and 25 triple-doubles during the 2023-24 season.
As each star put together a compelling case to win the award, here's how their numbers and MVP cases measure up.
MORE: Complete list of winners for NBA's end-of-season awards
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander vs. Nikola Jokic stats
Based on counting stats, Gilgeous-Alexander gets the edge in scoring and steals while Jokic averaged more rebounds and assists on slightly more efficient shooting splits.
Both players were largely available throughout the 2023-24 season, which shows their value to their respective teams.
| Shai Gilgeous-Alexander | Nikola Jokic | |
| Team record | 57-25 | 57-25 |
| Games played | 75 | 79 |
| PPG | 30.1 | 26.4 |
| RPG | 5.5 | 12.4 |
| APG | 6.2 | 9.0 |
| SPG | 2.0 | 1.4 |
| BPG | 0.9 | 0.9 |
| FG% | 53.5 | 58.3 |
| 3P% | 35.3 | 35.9 |
| FT% | 87.4 | 81.7 |
To get more granular, Jokic has the edge on Gilgeous-Alexander in the advanced stats realm. Given how close many of the counting stats were, Jokic was able to create some separation with his advanced numbers.
| Shai Gilgeous-Alexander | Nikola Jokic | |
| Win shares | 14.6 | 17.0 |
| Box plus minus | 9.0 | 13.2 |
| Value over replacement player | 7.1 | 10.6 |
| Player efficiency rating | 29.3 | 31.0 |
MORE: Where Nikola Jokic's three MVP awards rank on all-time list
Nuggets record without Nikola Jokic
Denver went 2-1 without Jokic during the 2023-24 NBA season. The Nuggets were 55-24 with their MVP in the lineup.
Jokic was almost always available for his team during the regular season, missing just three of 82 games. He did not miss consecutive games.
Denver's lone loss without Jokic came against the Thunder on Jan. 31. Behind 34 points from Gilgeous-Alexander, OKC earned a five-point home win over Denver.
Thunder record without Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
Oklahoma City was 2-5 without Gilgeous-Alexander during the 2023-24 season. The Thunder were 55-20 when SGA was available.
Six of Gilgeous-Alexander's seven absences came toward the end of the season as he battled a quad injury. He appeared in 70 of the team's first 71 games before sitting out six out of seven games between March 27 and April 7.
Oklahoma City's wins without Gilgeous-Alexander came at home against Phoenix and on the road against Charlotte.
MORE: Why Shaq said SGA deserved 2024 NBA MVP over Nikola Jokic
2024 NBA MVP voting results
Gilgeous-Alexander finished second to Jokic in 2024 NBA MVP award voting.
Jokic received 79 of 99 possible first-place votes while Gilgeous-Alexander received 15 first-place votes. Luka Doncic (four) and Giannis Antetokounmpo (one) were the only other players to receive first-place votes.
Here is a look at how MVP voting shook out based on first-place votes:
| Rank | Player | 1st place votes (10 points) | Total points |
| 1. | Nikola Jokic | 79 | 926 |
| 2. | Shai Gilgeous-Alexander | 15 | 640 |
| 3. | Luka Doncic | 4 | 566 |
| 4. | Giannis Antetokounmpo | 1 | 182 |
Second-place votes are worth seven points, third-place votes are worth five points, fourth-place votes are worth three points and fifth-place votes are worth one point.