Charley Barkley broadcasts his NBA MVP amid Nikola Jokic vs Shai Gilgeous-Alexander showdown

Charles Barkley isn’t precisely well-known for purchasing his predictions proper, however on Wednesday, because the OKC Thunder obliterated the Denver Nuggets in Game 2 in their Western Conference semifinal matchup, he made his name, selecting Shai Gilgeous-Alexander over Nikola Jokic.

With SGA main the price, the Thunder raced to an 87-56 halftime lead — probably the most issues ever scored in a part in NBA playoff historical past — in the back of his 18 issues and 7 assists during the first 24 mins.

During the “Inside the NBA” halftime display, Barkley declared Shai Gilgeous-Alexander as his MVP.

“This guy right here is the MVP,” he said. “We can already send it to him. We’re gonna see him in the WCF when he get his MVP trophy. I think that team gonna win the championship.”

In ESPN’s MVP straw ballot, which replicates the true balloting procedure, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander emerged because the best choice within the ultimate iteration, incomes 77 first-place votes and 23 second-place votes for 931 issues. Jokic accrued all of the ultimate most sensible and second-place nods, coming in moment with 769 issues.

The two are actually clashing head-to-head on this playoff collection.

Jokic exploded in Game 1 with a jaw-dropping 42 issues and 22 rebounds, lifting Denver to a 121-119 win capped by means of an Aaron Gordon game-winning triple.

But in Game 2, it was once SGA’s flip, shedding 34 issues and 8 assists, and recording a historical plus-51 ranking — the perfect ever in a playoff sport — in simply 3 quarters as OKC cruised to a 149-106 blowout.

Players pulling for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to win MVP, says James Harden

In April, NBA insider Rachel Nichols stated she spoke with James Harden, who published that whilst avid gamers acknowledge Nikola Jokic as the most efficient participant, they’re rallying in the back of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander for MVP.

Speaking at the “Open Floor” podcast, Nichols stated:

“I talked to James Harden for somewhat bit this morning sooner than the Clippers left for Denver, and I stated, who is the most efficient participant? And he stated, ‘Well, no question, Jokic is the best player.’ But even he stated, ‘All the players, we want to see Shai win MVP because of the season he had and the winning.’

“And I think that really factors in for them more than maybe some people on the outside are just looking at stats, stats, stats, stats, stats, see it, but he goes, but of course, Jokic is the best player.”

There’s nonetheless no phrase on when the MVP might be published, but it surely’s conceivable the announcement may come all through this high-stakes showdown between Jokic’s Nuggets and SGA’s Thunder.