Shaquille O’Neal ‘ruins’ Nikola Jokic’s MVP moment by claiming Shai Gilgeous Alexander deserved award to Nuggets star’s face

Nikola Jokic won his third MVP award, making him one of only nine to ever do it.

Shaquille O’Neal ‘ruins’ Nikola Jokic’s MVP moment by claiming Shai Gilgeous Alexander deserved award to Nuggets star’s face

Shaquille O'Neal ruins Nikola Jokic's MVP win by suggesting that Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was more deserving

Nikola Jokic has finally got his MVP trophy after leading the race for almost the entire second half of the season. Now, as a three-time winner of the award, he joins an exclusive group of basketball greats.

Another great and a big admirer of the Serbian’s game, Shaquille O’Neal, suggested that Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was the deserving MVP. Not known for keeping his real feelings at bay, O’Neal said his verdict to the Joker’s face.

As usual, the crew of Inside the NBA on TNT reveal the NBA’s end-of-season awards. Nikola Jokic joined them on video to talk about his win. When it was Shaquille O’Neal‘s turn, the big man said what he felt right away.

FS Video
Joker as the President of the Big Man alliance. You are the vice-president of the Big Man alliance. You know I love you. You’re the best player in the league. I want to congratulate you. But I want you to hear it from me first. I thought that SGA should have been the MVP. That’s no disrespect to you. But congratulations.
Shaquille O’Neal said

The Hall of Famer essentially ruined the Joker’s night. Suggesting to someone that they did not deserve it is the worst way to hand them the award.

The Denver Nuggets superstar took it jokingly, as he knew that different people could have different opinions. He agreed that a few players were deserving, and the difference was in the small details that differentiated them.

This is Jokic’s third MVP award in 4 years, after coming second in last season’s vote. He received 79 of the possible 99 1st place votes to become only the ninth player in league history to win three MVPs.

Nikola Jokic focused on the Minnesota Timberwolves

One of the questions Shaquille O’Neal asked the now three-time MVP is how they will approach game 3 of the playoffs. Jokic suggested that he and his Denver Nuggets have not played their brand of playoff basketball yet. They tried to but could not implement their game plan to fruition in the first two games.

That will be their focus when they go on the road to take on the Minnesota Timberwolves on their home court. He suggested that the Timberwolves are not doing anything they haven’t done all season long. Therefore, the onus is on them to bring their brand of playoff basketball, which won them their first NBA title last season.

The reigning NBA Finals MVP riled his teammates up during the All-Star break by asking them to step up if they are to repeat as NBA champions. Going into Game 3, that should be their sole focus.

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