A rivalry between Nikola Jokic and Anthony Edwards is exactly what the NBA needs

The NBA, like most sports, thrives on rivalries. However, in the NBA, many times it’s more than just team rivalries that move the needle. Rivalries between stars also light up the Association. We’ve had LeBron James and Stephen Curry for over a decade and it’s always an event whenever their teams face off. The next great rivalry in the league could be unfolding right before our eyes in the form of Nikola Jokić versus Anthony Edwards.

Denver Nuggets head coach Mike Malone recently talked about how their games against the Minnesota Timberwolves always feel noticeably different.

"They never play as hard as they do against us. You can sense it. You can notice it."

Malone made those comments following Denver’s loss to Minnesota last week in double overtime (despite 61 points from Jokić), 140-139. After losing to the Timberwolves in the second round of the playoffs last postseason, you can officially call this a rivalry. Edwards and Minnesota get up for the matchup every time whether it’s the playoffs or regular season.

Last year’s playoff elimination came as a surprise to most (outside of Minnesota) especially with the Nuggets being defending NBA champions at the time. The Nuggets happened to eliminate the Timberwolves in the first round on their way to that championship. So, meeting the past two years with each team winning a series definitely qualifies this as a rivalry.

What makes it even better is the involvement of two of the league’s premier players, Jokić and Edwards. Although they play different positions, as the leaders and stars of their respective squads, they are the players on the marquee. Anytime we get to see them play multiple times in the regular season and then matchup in a seven-game series in the playoffs, it’s a treat for everyone. The NBA is always at its best when there are multiple rivalries around the league and this one budding between Jokić/Nuggets and Edwards/Timberwolves is no exception.