Shai Gilgeous-Alexander can be introduced with the NBA’s Most Precious Participant award through the Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder’s second-round playoff collection towards Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets, establishing a uncommon postseason conflict between the league’s top-two MVP finishers.
Historic information compiled by analyst Todd Whitehead’s reveals blended outcomes for MVP winners in playoff matchups towards their closest opponents. Of the 27 earlier cases when an MVP confronted the runner-up within the postseason, 15 resulted in victories for the newly topped MVP.
The analysis highlights a number of notable circumstances the place MVP runners-up exacted revenge within the playoffs. Invoice Russell, who misplaced the 1960 MVP race to Wilt Chamberlain, defeated Chamberlain within the playoffs that very same season, a sample that might repeat with Jerry West besting Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in 1972.
More moderen examples embrace Hakeem Olajuwon overcoming David Robinson in 1995 after Robinson had claimed the common season MVP award, in addition to Michael Jordan beating Karl Malone in 1997. Tim Duncan additionally reversed his fortunes towards Steve Nash in 2005 following Nash’s MVP victory.
The Thunder-Nuggets collection represents the primary time since 2016 {that a} reigning MVP will battle the runner-up within the playoffs, when Stephen Curry’s Golden State Warriors eradicated LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Full Historical past of MVP vs. Runner-Up Playoff Matchups
MVP Winners Who Beat Runner-Up in Playoffs:
• Bob Cousy beat Bob Pettit (’57)
• Invoice Russell beat Elgin Baylor (’62 + Pettit ’61)
• Wilt Chamberlain beat Nate Thurmond (’67)
• Willis Reed beat Jerry West (’70)
• Kareem Abdul-Jabbar beat Julius Erving (’71)
• Larry Chicken beat Dominique Wilkins (’86 + Bernard King ’84)
• Michael Jordan beat Malone (’98 + Clyde ’92 + Magic ’91)
• LeBron James beat Kevin Durant (’12)
• Steph Curry beat James Harden (’15)
MVP Losers Who Beat MVP in Playoffs:
• Invoice Russell beat Wilt Chamberlain (’60)
• Jerry West beat Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (’72)
• Invoice Walton beat Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (’77)
• Larry Chicken beat Julius Erving (’81)
• Magic Johnson beat Larry Chicken (’85)
• Michael Jordan beat Malone (’97 + Charles Barkley ’93)
• Hakeem Olajuwon beat David Robinson (’95)
• Shaquille O’Neal beat Tim Duncan (’02 + Allen Iverson ’01)
• Tim Duncan beat Steve Nash (’05)
• LeBron James beat Steph Curry (’16)
