Luka Doncic Gives Shai Gilgeous-Alexander The Ultimate Compliment

Luka Doncic recognized the excellence of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and how he elevates the Thunder after the Lakers picked up a 126-99 win over them.

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Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

The Los Angeles Lakers picked up arguably their best win of the season with a 126-99 demolishing of the No. 1 seed OKC Thunder. It was a surprisingly one-sided game, as the Lakers’ red-hot offense never cooled off while their defense stifled the Thunder and stopped them from scoring even a 100 points in this loss.

Luka Doncic was the star of the night, outplaying OKC’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in the game and then showering his rival guard with heaps of praise in the post-game interview.

“Obviously, first is Shai. I think he’s an unbelievable player. He makes them look like an incredible team, which they are. The second thing is their defense. They have a lot of guys who can guard 1 through 5, they can switch, they can control the game with their defense, and they have a lot of weapons.”

Luka put up 30 points (11-20 FG), seven rebounds, and six assists, while Shai put up 26 points (12-23 FG) and nine assists. 

These two should have the most intense guard rivalry in the sport, given that everyone admits they’re the two best guards in the league. The 2018 Draft Classmates have been dominating the NBA over the last few seasons, being named as the starting backcourt for the last two All-NBA First Teams.

Shai is averaging 32.6 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 6.4 assists this season, while Doncic is averaging 27.7 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 7.8 assists.

Despite Doncic having a much brighter start to his NBA career, Shai seems to have surpassed him in terms of on-court success. The Thunder have secured the No. 1 seed in the West for the second consecutive season, with Shai finishing as MVP runner-up ahead of third-placed Doncic last season, and is expected to win this year’s MVP while Doncic is ineligible.

For years, everyone has assumed that Doncic will be the first player of the stacked 2018 Draft Class to win MVP. But it seems like Shai will pip Luka to that honor this season. That’s a significant milestone, but it won’t necessarily cause people to declare Shai as the better guard, given the careers they both have had.

Shai has averaged 24.4 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 5.1 assists over his career, while Doncic has averaged 28.6 points, 8.6 rebounds, and 8.2 assists.

Shai is a far more complete defensive contributor, but Doncic’s offensive prowess is on another level. This was evident in the 2024 Western Conference second round when Shai’s OKC lost 4-2 as the No. 1 seed to Doncic’s Dallas Mavericks. 

Despite Luka being hurt during the series, he orchestrated the win over Shai, who arguably outproduced him. But the winning impact of both players was markedly different, highlighted by the season-ending block Luka pulled off on Shai en route to his first NBA Finals appearance.

If Luka and Shai meet in the 2025 Playoffs, it’ll be the most compelling matchup the NBA has to offer. 

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Ishaan Bhattacharya is a content manager for Fadeaway World from New Delhi, India. With his expertise in NBA content creation, Ishaan brings a wealth of experience to his role, contributing to the site's authority and reach within the basketball community. Over the last year, Ishaan has interviewed Ray Allen and Mark Tatum, while also covering the 2023 NBA Abu Dhabi Games which saw the Dallas Mavericks take on the Minnesota Timberwolves.Since joining Fadeaway World in March 2022, Ishaan Bhattacharya has become known for his unique perspective on the NBA. He consistently delivers this insight through his daily news coverage and detailed opinion pieces on the most significant topics in the league.Before his tenure at Fadeaway World, Ishaan worked in corporate communications, where he serviced prominent sports brands, including NBA India, Sports18, Amazon Prime Sports, and Royal Challengers Bangalore. This experience in strategic communications for leading sports entities has enhanced his ability to craft impactful narratives and connect with a global audience.A true MFFLer (Mavs Fan for Life, for the uninitiated), Ishaan is a massive fan of the Dallas Mavericks. When he is not upset about Jalen Brunson walking in free agency, you can see Ishaan as an avid gamer and content creator. His passion for basketball extends beyond the Mavericks, as evidenced by his thoughtfully curated NBA Mount Rushmore, featuring LeBron James, Michael Jordan, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and Bill Russell—each representing distinct eras and bringing their unique qualities to the game.Featured On: ESPN, Sports Illustrated, Bleacher ReportYahoo Sports, NBA, Fox Sports, The Spun
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