Shai Gilgeous-Alexander against Niceil Alexander Walker: Cousin's fight for the NBA final berth

Oklahoma City – If the final of the Western Conference is over and the players from the thunder and the wolves wish each other well, no hug will make more sense than the two who have the same blood and the same name: Alexander.

What they whisper into each other in their ears before they go off the pitch is not captured by intrusive microphones and decrypted by lip readers at home. It will almost be their own language, only for each other. As it should be.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Niceil Alexander Walker will be strong for the progress of the NBA final-and at the moment with 3-1 lead and at home for game 5 (play at home8:30 p.m. ET, ESPN), It seems that Gilgeous-Alexander will have family rights, unless this series develops a drastic change.

The cousins ​​are close, so that the incumbent Kia MVP will be sensitive with its words. He knows how much Alexander Walker worked as a reserve player for the wolves, who suddenly earns difficult minutes in this series.

Two nights ago, when these teams were involved in a central game in a close fourth quarter, Alexander Walker, who guarded Gilgeous-Alexander and vice versa. Even if they were not a family, they were dramatically, intense, entertaining and like Gilgeous-Alexander between these guards, “great fun”.

Gilgeous-Alexander achieved the victory for OKC and scored 40 points. But Alexander Walker grew as a player on the big stage in these 12 minutes, since his reputation for this quarter was not the same as when entering.

This is due to the fact that he threw an arch on the game of his professional life, everything was considered: 23 points in the 9-against-15 shooting (5-on-8-on-3 hand) and six templates. He was more effective than Anthony Edwards and Julius Randle and helped the wolves to keep the game competitive.

“Only in this phase to be out there to go against each other … He sometimes got the best of me, I have the best of him,” said Gilgeous-Alexander. “Something we dreamed of.”

“He is literally my 2nd brother …”

Cousins, who were only born 52 days away from each other …

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Niceil Alexander Walker are ready to organize the Western Conference final. 👀🔥 pic.twitter.com/wtw53Z3M7

– NBA (@nba) May 20, 2025

They grew up together in Hamilton, not far from Toronto, were high -school teammates and briefly roommates. Gilgeous-Alexander's father is the brother of Alexander-Walker's mother. Both were the first round in the NBA, but Gilgeous-Alexander, which is about six weeks older, developed much faster and better. As soon as he was acted against OKC by the La Clipper and deserved the key to the franchise, the rest of the story was: an MVP, a title, an all-NBA selection, all-star games and a Max contract.

Alexander Walker is in his third team and was mainly a backup at every stop. He fought with the shooting consistency at the beginning of his career, but has improved to 44%in his two full seasons with the wolves. His performance in these playoffs will help determine what comes next. As an unrestricted free agent this summer, he is looking for his big payday and the wolves, who currently want to keep the league with the second highest salary statement.

If he duplicates what he did in game 4, he will have options.

It is a coincidence of how Alexander Walkers value on the upcoming Free Agent Market (and its future with the wolves) will partially depend on how he defends his cousin in game 5 and beyond.

“I'm not really surprised,” said Gilgeous-Alexander. “I know what kind of basketball player he is. On the night he had (in game 4), he is able. Great skills, great feeling.”

Alexander Walker puts aside his relationship with Gilgeous-Alexander for the moment. It can wait. He is busy examining the chances of the wolves of 3-1.

“You know how we can beat, we know how to do it,” he said. “It's just about going there and doing it. And who wants it more. We have shown that sometimes consistency is what we need.”

Stopping OKC begins with the slowdown of Gilgeous-Alexander. Alexander Walker wants to prevent Gilgeous-Alexander from getting ahead and believes that her common story can only help him-nobody has deeper scouting reports on Gilgeous-Alexander than Alexander Walker.

“Obviously it is a challenge because he has the ball all the time,” said Alexander Walker. “He knows, even if he misses shots, it comes back to him again and again. He knows who he was all year round and they rely on him again and again. The main thing is to throw him from his rhythm. He has many movements. He becomes creative. He has seen any report that a team can throw on him.

“For me, it is only a matter of trying to anticipate what he will do and make sure that every shot he makes will be a hard shot. Defend without merging. It is easier said than done because it is what he does. You just have to try to find a way to find stops.

Your one-to-one is the game in the game in this series. Alexander Walker will probably have more chances and minutes, not only because he runs out a solid game 4, but the wolves need options on the guard.

Mike Conley, the starter, is 37. Alexander Walker brings better anticipation and size, faster hands than the willingness to shoot and thus Gilgeous-Alexander to work on both ends.

When the cousins ​​on the

This is not the first time that they fought in the NBA, but the first time that the operations are so increased, together with the family ties.

“It is difficult because you are one thing, you can't sit and watch it,” said Gilgeous-Alexander.

Well, not like family members at home in Canada. The emotions between aunts and uncles and cousins ​​in front of their television are probably from the charts.

As for Gilgeous-Alexander and Alexander Walker, all sensible conversations have to wait between them until the Summer sounds and you continue to the NBA final.

“When everything is said and done, we will have a lot of stories about it,” said Gilgeous-Alexander. “It is incredible to be here.”

A question for Alexander Walker: He is also looking forward to these conversations?

“Only when I win,” he said with a straight face, “to be honest.”

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Shaun Powell has covered the NBA for more than 25 years. You can send him an email Herefind His archive here And Follow him on X.

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