The Nuggets as a whole are, of course, a formidable squad, but Harden is preparing to face off against superstar Denver center Nikola Jokic, in particular. The Joker just finished

For first-time readers of this feature, eight members of The Sporting News staff collaborated to rank the top 30 players in the NBA playoffs (including Play-In teams). Participant

Nikola Jokic will average a triple-double for the season, making the Denver star the third player in NBA history to pull off such a feat.

Jokić is the reigning MVP who’s won the award three times, while Gilgeous-Alexander was the NBA's top scorer this season.

Reading the vibes online and scouring betting odds, Gilgeous-Alexander should win the MVP award. The only drama with the final tally is by how many votes he will win by. The Oklahoma City Thunder completed one of the greatest regular season campaigns ever with a 68-14 record and plenty of franchise and NBA records broken.

Denver's all-world center will be the focus of the Clippers' stingy defense, with 7-foot Ivica Zubac the focal point of their attack.