What was billed as a clash of MVP finalists, the storylines have pivoted into how the Denver Nuggets have done just enough in the final moments to own a 2-1 series lead despite the Oklahoma City Thunder leading for most of the three playoff games.

In a funny twist, Nikola Jokic has enjoyed help from his teammates. Aaron Gordon scored the game-winner in Game 1 to stun the Thunder. In Game 3, Denver had three other players besides the three-time MVP winner who scored 20-plus points.

Either Jokic or Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was going to get flamed on social media. It all depended on which of their squads survived and picked up a critical Game 3 win. Dressed up as The Joker, Jokic looked like Jared Leto’s version. Meanwhile, Gilgeous-Alexander was Ben Affleck’s Batman.

In a coin toss, Jokic dodged the bullets. He finished with 20 points on 8-of-25 shooting, 16 rebounds and six assists. He shot 0-of-10 from 3. It was the second straight game where he failed to make an impact against OKC after a monster 44 points and 22 rebounds in Game 1.

But all the attention was on Gilgeous-Alexander’s stinker. He had 18 points on 7-of-22 shooting. The Thunder’s offense dried up with just 21 points in the fourth quarter and overtime combined. This included just two points in OT.

That’s how the NBA world works. You win, and your mistakes are forgiven. You lose, they get magnified. Jokic was on the lucky end of that, but admitted he must be better. After all, Denver is better suited to win playoff games when he’s the best player on the court.

“I missed 10 threes. They’re aggressive, they’re physical, they’re handsy. They’re in the shrink, they’re playing passing lanes. I don’t know what they’re doing because if I knew, I wouldn’t do it or make those kinds of mistakes,” Jokic said. “I need to figure out what they’re doing. Basically, I was the worst player on the court today. But we won the game, and that was the most important.”

It’s a shame the Thunder have lost two gimme playoff games against the Nuggets. Or the national narrative would be how their league-best defense has shut off Jokic better than anybody ever has. OKC’s three-headed center room have each rotated turns to bang down-low with the big man in Chet Holmgren, Isaiah Hartenstein and Jaylin Williams.

The Thunder’s game plan has worked. Except that the Nuggets’ supporting cast has stepped up in his struggles. But if you’re OKC, you’ll take how this playoff series has played out so far. They could easily be up 3-0 right now. Eventually, luck should break their way down the stretch.