Strike 1: Nikola Jokic isn’t going to win this season’s MVP Award. It’s just fine.

Let them give it to Luca, or Wemby, or give SGA another one. No one should care around here. There are more important things to focus on.

This Denver Nuggets roster has NBA title aspirations. And if you remember, the last time they won the championship Joker wasn’t the regular season MVP. Instead, he was the MVP of the Finals.

With a fortified bench and a healthy Jamal Murray, the Nuggets look formidable on paper. They haven’t quite clicked yet, and that’s understandable. A 2-1 start is fine. There’s still lots of new to blend together. Nevertheless, the oddsmakers have them second to defending champ Oklahoma City among favorites to capture this season’s Larry O’Brien Trophy.

It’s apparent after just three games that this is going to be a different kind of season for the Nuggets. Having a better cast around him will relieve Jokic of having to carry the entire load, as he’s done so often during several prior seasons. That will be reflected in his stats. His scoring numbers will likely be down. He’s yet to lead Denver in scoring in the first three contests. Others like Murray (if he remains healthy) will probably see their scoring averages go up. It doesn’t mean Joker won’t continue to be the best player in the league. He’s already posted a triple-double in all three games so far. If he stays healthy, the future hall of famer will be an All-Star for the eighth straight time.

As things stand, Joker remains the only three-time MVP to have never played alongside an All-Star teammate. Now that he’s got a set of reserve players who can help him and the rest of the overworked starters, perhaps something can happen this season that hasn’t happened before during Joker’s career: A second Nugget getting selected to be an All-Star. It could happen. Finally.

If you had to pick someone right now, Murray would be the logical guess. But what about Aaron Gordon?

Gordon has yet to be selected for an All-Star game during his previous 10 seasons in the NBA. And as one of those “glue guy” types, his stats have never jumped off the page. Could that change this year? All AG has done thus far is open the season with a 50-point outburst against Golden State. He’s averaging 25 points per game. The 30-year-old Gordon has been uber aggressive on the offensive end, and continues to be a force on defense and on the boards. His improved 3-point shooting from last year appears to have taken an even bigger jump up this season. His game has the overall look of a full-fledged All-Star early in the year. Not sure what it will take to get him selected, but it sure looks like he’s ready to make a case.

Make no mistake – Denver will continue to need scoring output from Murray, along with newbie Cam Johnson and the bolstered bench. Armed with a new contract, Christian Braun should also be a better player than he was a season ago. For the Nuggets to get back to the promised land, it can’t be all about one guy anymore. It’s got to be about the collective. It’s about how having two All-Stars is better than one.