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Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is set to reach a rare milestone on Christmas Day as the Oklahoma City Thunder prepare to host the San Antonio Spurs in a nationally televised matchup on ABC and ESPN.
According to NBAPR, Gilgeous-Alexander will become the first reigning Kia NBA MVP and Finals MVP to play on Christmas Day since LeBron James did so in 2013 with the Miami Heat .
" Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is set to become the first reigning Kia NBA MVP and Finals MVP to play on Christmas since LeBron James in 2013."
The distinction places Gilgeous-Alexander in elite historical company and reflects the league's continued positioning of its most accomplished stars in marquee holiday games. James' 2013 appearance came during the height of Miami's championship run, a parallel to Oklahoma City 's current standing atop the league.
Gilgeous-Alexander, 27, is coming off a historic season in which he captured both MVP and Finals MVP honors. The Thunder finished the regular season with 68 wins before defeating the Indiana Pacers in seven games to secure the franchise's first NBA championship since relocating to Oklahoma City.
This season, Gilgeous-Alexander has continued his dominant play. Through 29 games, he is averaging 32.5 points, a career-high 6.6 assists, 4.8 rebounds and 1.5 steals per game while shooting career bests of 55.7% from the field and 43.5% from three-point range in 33.4 minutes per contest.
Despite opening the season 24-1, Oklahoma City has shown vulnerability in recent weeks. The Thunder have dropped three of their last five games, including two losses to San Antonio — a 111-109 defeat in the NBA Cup semifinals in Las Vegas on Dec. 13 and a 130-110 loss Tuesday night in San Antonio .
Thursday's Christmas Day matchup is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. ET and opens a four-game homestand for Oklahoma City (26-4). Elsewhere on the holiday slate, LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers (19-9) will host the Houston Rockets (17-10), continuing a Christmas Day tradition that now links two MVPs across eras through a rare and prestigious benchmark.
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