That was one of the best Nikola Jokic games I’ve ever seen in my life.

The Denver Nuggets defeated the Sacramento Kings 132-123, winning their fourth game in a row and 12th in their last 15 games. The Kings were 10-1 in their previous 11, and this ended up being a very hard fought victory that the Nuggets earned.

Jokic was spectacular throughout with 35 points, 22 rebounds, and 17 assists. Nobody in NBA history has ever accumulated those numbers before, and Jokic did it with relative ease. He battled Domantas Sabonis tonight who had an impressive stat line of his own. It was simply comparable to Jokic’s control, dominance, and sheer mastery of the game of basketball.

“I think this is the best basketball of my life that I’ve ever played,” Jokic shared postgame. “I’m feeling good out there. I’m in shape, and the ball is going in. I’m feeling good. I think I can influence the game on a different level.”

The ball is certainly going in for Jokic a lot lately, no matter how far away from the basket he is. At the end of the third quarter, Jokic caught an inbound pass and launched a three-quarter court heave that hit nothing but the bottom of the net. It was an improbable, impossible shot, but Jokic attempted it anyway and was rewarded by the Basketball Gods.

I asked Jokic why he takes so many heaves when so many players would simply wait until after the buzzer to attempt the shot.

“Maybe it will go in,” he replied. “It’s three points. I think it can help us.”

That sums up Jokic. Whatever helps the team win is something he will do.

The Nuggets had built a 25-point lead after that crazy shot, playing excellent basketball all the way around. Jamal Murray had a fantastic first half. Christian Braun and Peyton Watson were strong defensively. Russell Westbrook was shooting the ball extremely efficiently. Denver did enough to build up a lead that it didn’t matter what the Kings did in the final quarter.

Of course, the Kings still tried to make a game of it, outscoring the Nuggets 17-3 to start the fourth. Denver had to scramble after that, having done a poor job containing Doug McDermott and contesting shots on the perimeter while playing poor offensively. Jokic ultimately came back in and helped stabilize things, but it wasn’t without a bit of worry. A steal at halfcourt and dunk in transition from Braun ultimately iced the game, though it got closer than it needed to be.

Braun finished with 21 points on 8-of-14 from the field and 2-of-5 from three. He began the game in foul trouble and looked out of sorts early but quickly stabilized and made plays to extend Denver’s lead in the third quarter.

Michael Porter Jr. added 20 points and eight rebounds. Russell Westbrook had 18 efficient points on 7-of-10 from the field. Jamal Murray had a poor second half, but his all-around first half allowed the Nuggets to build an impressive 74-52 lead at halftime.

The Kings were on he second night of a back-to-back, and the expectations for them were definitely lower tonight. Still, they fought and forced the Nuggets to smarten up in the fourth quarter.

Overall, the Nuggets continue to look great, led by their three-time MVP.

Is he just the MVP again?

Nights like tonight seem to be occurring with more regularity this season. Nikola Jokic shot 12-of-17 from the field and 2-of-3 from three. The combination of volume and efficiency and all-around impact that he continues to display is unparalleled throughout NBA history. He isn’t hunting numbers either, simply doing what it takes to win games this season.

Before tonight, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was a very clear favorite to win MVP at most sports books. After his 54-point performance against the Utah Jazz on Wednesday night, SGA has clearly captured the attention of fans and media, playing at an exceptional level for an Oklahoma City Thunder team on pace to win about 67 games. In any other season, SGA would be the runaway winner. He still might be.

And yet, it’s hard to watch nights like tonight with Jokic and think that anyone else could possibly be as valuable. On the season, the Nuggets superstar is averaging 30.2 points, 13.4 rebounds, and 10.1 assists per game. He’s back to triple-double pace after the Nuggets converted 17 of his assists tonight. Jokic is also averaging 1.9 steals per game, which ranks fourth among qualified players.

It’s not just about the numbers though. It’s about the impact and what he means to this team. Denver’s bench has improved of late, but tonight, they allowed an 11-0 run to begin the fourth quarter immediately after Jokic’s shot, forcing him back onto the floor within three minutes of game time. Denver sometimes doesn’t function properly without Jokic out there to steer the ship. If he wasn’t playing at this absurd level, who knows where Denver would be.

So many of the caveats in this race include “Jokic is the best player in the world, but…” which almost makes the argument itself.

Who knows if Jokic will win a fourth MVP at this point. He has almost transcended the award in a way. Nobody needs to see Jokic win another individual award to know how great he is. They need to see the Nuggets win championships and to advance deep in the playoffs.

All I know is that he’s the best basketball player I’ve ever seen in my life.

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