Two young players up for the MVP award will face each other when Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the No. 1 seed Oklahoma City take on Luka Doncic and the No. 5 seed Dallas in the second round of the Western Conference playoffs.
Their series begins Tuesday and features two high-scoring 25-year-olds. Doncic, who topped the league in scoring this season with 33.9 points per game, averaged 29.8 points, 8.8 rebounds, and 9.5 assists in the first round against the Los Angeles Clippers.
Doncic has more playoff experience than Gilgeous-Alexander, having led the Mavs to the Western Conference finals two years ago. On the other hand, the Thunder just secured their first playoff series win since 2016.
Gilgeous-Alexander recognizes Doncic’s talent, stating, “He is who he is for a reason. No one guy slows him down.” Oklahoma City’s Lu Dort, known as one of the league’s top defensive wing players, will primarily guard Doncic. Despite Doncic’s strength, Dort stands firm at 6-4 and 220 pounds.
Dallas coach Jason Kidd praised Dort’s relentless style of play, saying, “He plays hard at all times… He understands his defense has caused a problem in this league. He plays hard for the time that he’s out on the floor. … He knows no other way.”
Jalen Williams and newcomer Cason Wallace will also share the responsibility of guarding Doncic. Rookie Chet Holmgren, a 7-1 center, will be there to offer support. These players contributed to the Thunder’s strong defensive performance this season, ranking fourth in the league in defensive rating and third in opponent field goal percentage.
Thunder coach Mark Daigneault expressed confidence in his team’s defensive abilities, emphasizing that guarding a player like Doncic requires a collective effort. He emphasized the importance of everyone being focused and committed to the task.
Gilgeous-Alexander had an impressive season, averaging 30.1 points per game and shooting 53.5% from the field. In the Thunder’s first-round sweep of the New Orleans Pelicans, the 6-foot-6 guard averaged 27.3 points.
Dallas coach Kidd acknowledged Gilgeous-Alexander’s talent, highlighting his ability to apply pressure on defense. He noted that everyone on the team will have to take their turn guarding him.
Gilgeous-Alexander is known for his aggressive drives to the basket, often finishing plays in challenging situations. Dallas center Dereck Lively II stated that the key is to disrupt his rhythm and make him uncomfortable by crowding his space and preventing him from getting to his preferred spots on the court. He acknowledged that Gilgeous-Alexander is capable of making difficult and unconventional shots.
