With the NBA Finals heating up and the Thunder holding a 3-2 lead over the Pacers, one storyline has pierced through the noise of low ratings and playoff fatigue and that's Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s brilliance. While some fans have dismissed the league MVP’s style as overly reliant on foul-baiting, one of the game’s best ball-handlers has seen enough to call it what it is: elite, SI reports.

During a recent livestream, Dallas Mavericks star Kyrie Irving came to SGA’s defense and then some. “He just plays the game the right way, he plays at a high level,” Kyrie said. “You gotta be a master manipulator out there, it’s part of the game… I look at him as one of the guys that's gonna be the prototype for the next generation.”

That praise from Kyrie isn’t lip service. Gilgeous-Alexander averaged 32.7 points, 6.4 assists, and 5.0 rebounds per game during the regular season, earning MVP honors while leading the NBA in both free throws made and field goals attempted. It’s a blend of finesse, timing, and control that clearly doesn’t sit well with casual fans, but it’s commanding admiration from those who understand the game’s evolution.

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The Thunder's 1-2 Punch Makes History

SGA hasn’t taken his foot off the gas in the Finals either. Through five games, he’s kept up his 32-point average, putting him in prime position for Finals MVP. But after Jalen Williams exploded for 40 points in Game 5, the race may not be so clear-cut. Williams’ performance, paired with SGA’s 31-point outing, placed the duo in a historic bracket.

Only 14 times in NBA Finals history has one player scored 40 while a teammate dropped 30 in the same game. Most of those belong to the Lakers’ legendary tandem of Jerry West and Elgin Baylor. Now, Gilgeous-Alexander and Williams are in that same club, lifting Oklahoma City to a 120-109 win and a series lead.

Mark Daigneault kept it simple when asked about his stars: “These guys are really good players.” Kyrie went a step further. For him, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander isn’t just good, he’s the future blueprint.