With the Thunder and Spurs facing off in the Western Conterence Finals, it marks the 11th time that the league's Most Valuable Player (SGA) and the league's Defensive Player of the Year (Wemby) have met in NBA Playoffs.

1983 Eastern Conference Finals:

Moses Malone's (MVP) Philadelphia 76ers def. Sidney Moncrief's (DPOY) Milwaukee Bucks (4 - 1)

1984 Eastern Conference Finals:

Larry Bird's (MVP) Boston Celtics def. Sidney Moncrief's (DPOY) Milwaukee Bucks (4 - 1)

1991 Eastern Conference Finals:

Michael Jordan's (MVP) Chicago Bulls def. Dennis Rodman's (DPOY) Detroit Pistons (4 - 0)

1995 Western Conference 1st round:

David Robinson's (MVP) San Antonio Spurs def. Dikembe Mutombo's (DPOY) Denver Nuggets (3 - 0)

1996 NBA Finals:

Michael Jordan's (MVP) Chicago Bulls def. Gary Payton's (DPOY) Seattle SuperSonics (4 - 2)

2008 NBA Finals:

Kevin Garnett's (DPOY) Boston Celtics def. Kobe Bryant's (MVP) Los Angeles Lakers (4 - 2)

2009 Eastern Conference Finals:

Dwight Howard's (DPOY) Orlando Magic def. LeBron James' (MVP) Cleveland Cavaliers (4 - 2)

2012 Eastern Conference 1st round:

LeBron James' (MVP) Miami Heat def. Tyson Chandler's (DPOY) New Yord Knicks (4 - 1)

2018 Western Conference 2nd round:

James Harden's (MVP) Houston Rockets def. Rudy Gobert's (DPOY) Utah Jazz (4 - 1)

2024 Western Conference 2nd round:

Rudy Gobert's (DPOY) Minnesota Timberwolves def. Nikola Jokic's (MVP) Denver Nuggets (4 - 2)

2026 Western Conference Finals:

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's (MVP) Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Victor Wembanyama's (DPOY) San Antonio Spurs (???)

Ineresting Facts:

- The league MVP's teams are 7-3 (34 - 18 overall) historically in these matchups

- The inaugural, back-to-back DPOY winner, Moncrief lost to the MVPs' teams (and eventual champions) in back-to-back ECF and his Bucks are the only team to lose two of these matchups

- Jordan's Bulls are the only team to win two of these matchups

- LeBron's Cavaliers are the only #1 overall playoffs seed to lose in these matchups

- LeBron and Gobert are the only players to take part in multiple matchups for two different teams