Nuggets coach Michael Malone doesn't think the NBA MVP race is that close between Nikola Jokic and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.

Gilgeous-Alexander is on the hunt for his first MVP and has left no doubt that he belongs in the conversation. After finishing second in voting last year, many felt he should have won due to OKC’s surprising rise to the No. 1 seed in the West. This season, he has only strengthened that argument.

With just over a month left in the NBA season, the MVP race has narrowed down to just Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (the betting favorite) and Nikola Jokić (the numbers favorite). And on Monday, the two superstars wrapped up back-to-back games against each other in Oklahoma City.