For years, Canadian NBA expertise was handled like a bonus storyline and a feel-good nod to the nation’s basketball progress. However this yr is totally different.
Sure, it’s the second straight Finals that includes 4 Canadians. However final yr, Oshae Brissett (Celtics), A.J. Lawson, Olivier-Maxence Prosper and Dwight Powell (Mavericks) noticed restricted roles.
This time, within the Oklahoma City Thunder-Indiana Pacers Finals matchup, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Lu Dort, Bennedict Mathurin and Andrew Nembhard aren’t simply “repping Canada.”
They’re shaping the result, and so they may very well be the rationale one workforce wins all of it. Right here’s a fast have a look at the Canadians who may tip the stability on this yr’s NBA Finals.
SGA is MVP for a purpose
Toronto-born Gilgeous-Alexander is having one of many best seasons by a guard in NBA historical past. He’s the NBA MVP, a first-team All-NBA choice, Western Convention Finals MVP and this yr’s scoring champ (32.7 PPG).
If he provides the Invoice Russell NBA Finals MVP, SGA would be part of an elite membership that hasn’t grown in 25 years: gamers who’ve received the MVP, scoring title and Finals MVP in the identical season.
Per Fadeaway World, it has solely occurred six instances, and the names are legendary: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (1971), Michael Jordan (1991, 1992, 1996, 1998) and Shaquille O’Neal (2000).
SGA isn’t simply making historical past for Canada. He’s rewriting what it means to be a celebrity on the sport’s largest stage.
Enter the ‘Dorture Chamber’
Montreal’s Dort is a playoff nightmare on protection. The Thunder guard, who averages 1.1 steals within the postseason, guards the perfect participant on the ground and makes his life depressing.
Within the Finals, meaning Indiana’s Tyrese Haliburton. And historical past doesn’t favor the Pacers’ star, per Clemente Almanza of OKC Thunder Wire.
In two regular-season losses to OKC, Haliburton averaged 11 factors and 5.5 assists, effectively beneath his typical numbers (18.8 PPG, 9.8 APG) thanks largely to Dort’s relentless strain.
They don’t name him the “Dorture Chamber” for nothing.
He’s the type of participant each Finals workforce wants: no flash, simply stonewall protection and tone-setting toughness.
Mathurin can flip a sport
One other Montreal native, Mathurin is Indiana’s secret weapon off the bench as a flamethrower who can swing 1 / 4 in minutes.
In Sport 4 of the East Finals vs. the New York Knicks, he logged the fewest minutes in a 20+ level sport in NBA playoff historical past with solely 12 (h/t StatMuse). In Sport 5, he dropped 20 (6-for-10 taking pictures) and grabbed 9 boards in 24 minutes.
So, if he will get scorching, look out.
Nembhard retains rising
Nembhard (Aurora, Ontario) is taking part in large minutes and exceeding expectations, once more.
He has raised his three-point taking pictures to .483 in back-to-back postseason after regular-season dips of .357 (2024) and .291 (2025). That ranks him third all time in profession playoff three-point proportion throughout the NBA and ABA.
He has additionally boosted his postseason scoring from the common season each years, from 9.2 to 14.9 PPG in 2024 and from 10 to 12.8 PPG in 2025, proving he’s constructed for the massive stage. He additionally has boosted his steals from the common season (1.2 per sport) to the postseason (1.6).
Remaining notice
The NBA Finals tip off Thursday at 8 p.m. ET in Oklahoma Metropolis (ABC). Let the Canadian takeover start.
