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Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Donovan Mitchell are two rising stars in the NBA. Both players have showcased their skills and versatility on the court, making them two of the most exciting players to watch. Gilgeous-Alexander, a smooth and crafty guard for the Oklahoma City Thunder, has impressed fans and experts with his scoring ability, playmaking skills, and defensive intensity. He has quickly become a cornerstone of his team and a future All-Star in the making. On the other hand, Mitchell, the explosive guard for the Utah Jazz, has established himself as one of the league's premier scorers and clutch performers. His ability to take over games and make big plays in crucial moments has earned him a reputation as a true superstar in the making. When these two talented players face off on the court, fans are in for a treat as they witness a competitive battle between two of the brightest young talents in the league. Whether it's Gilgeous-Alexander's silky smooth moves or Mitchell's electrifying dunks, there's no shortage of excitement when these two players go head-to-head. NBA fans can expect plenty of highlights and memorable moments whenever these two talented guards square off against each other.

League-best offense vs. league-best defense.

In a season where fans have seemed to fixate on the fading stars of the past, this is the game of the season. This is the game looking to the future: The West-leading Oklahoma City Thunder head to Cleveland to take on the Cavaliers in a showdown of the two best teams in the NBA this season. The numbers don’t do this game justice:

• It’s the first-ever meeting of a team on a 15-game win streak (Thunder) vs. a team on a 10-game win streak (Cavaliers).

• It’s the 31-4 Cavaliers — on a 72-win pace — against the 30-5 Thunder, the first-ever interconference meeting between teams with an .850 winning percentage or higher.

• The last time two teams won 30 of their first 35 games in the same season was 1971-72 (Lakers and Bucks).

This is a potential NBA Finals preview (Oklahoma City beat the other big threats out of the East in Boston and New York last week). It’s also a showdown of the best offense in the NBA in the Cavaliers, against the Thunder’s best defense in the league.

Cleveland’s offense starts with the guard tandem of Mitchell and Darius Garland, but what has put it over the top is the emergence of Evan Mobley as a shot-creating, floor-spacing big under head coach Kenny Atkinson. There is a lot more ball and player motion under the new coach, a sign of what he learned as an assistant under Steve Kerry in Golden State.

What makes Oklahoma City tough to beat is that they don’t roll out a bad defender in their starting rotation, they are physical, jump passing lanes and force turnovers. They can switch anything if they want, and they have Isaiah Hartenstein waiting in the paint to clean up any mistakes. This is a game where they will miss having Alex Caruso coming off the bench (hip injury). It’s also a game where they will miss Chet Holmgren as a matchup for Mobley.

The other side of the court will likely decide this game — OKC’s eighth-ranked offense vs. Cleveland’s eighth-ranked defense.

It starts with Gilgeous-Alexander, who is playing at an MVP level averaging 31.3 points, 6.1 assists and 5.6 rebounds a game. He can knock down a 3 (36%) but what gets the Thunder offense going is when he gets going downhill into the paint, where he can score or kick out to quality shooters. That’s where Mobley and Jarrett Allen come in, they have to keep SGA from owning the paint, which is much easier said than done. Jalen Williams is playing like an All-Star as a secondary shot creator and who will be a problem for the Cavs.

To contain the Thunder, Cleveland has to take away OKC’s transition game — don’t turn the ball over and get back off makes and misses.

Cleveland has a size advantage in this game, and the Thunder are willing defensively to concede 3-pointers (and corner 3s) to protect the paint, if a hot shooting Cleveland can team can take advantage of that they can win.

Oklahoma City is physical and comes at teams in waves — they came back on Boston and New York last week because OKC wore them down. Can Cleveland withstand the depth and defensive physicality?

This is the must-watch game of the NBA regular season. It is at 7 p.m. Eastern on ESPN. If you're a fan who wants to know what June might look like in the NBA — what the future looks like — this is the game to watch.