It's playoff time in the NBA — here are some Canadians to watch

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The NBA post-season tips off tonight with the first set of play-in games for teams hoping to crack the 16-team bracket. Here's a look at the top Canadians who have already qualified for the main tournament:

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Oklahoma City Thunder): The marvelous 26-year-old guard is favoured to become the first Canadian to win the NBA MVP award since Steve Nash in 2005 and 2006 after leading OKC (68-14) to the best record in the league. SGA led the NBA in scoring with 32.7 points per game (more than a bucket better than runner-up Giannis Antetokounmpo) and ranked second in Player Efficiency Rating to Denver's Nikola Jokic, who some believe ought to win his fourth MVP in five years after he averaged a triple double. But Jokic's porous Nuggets finished a disappointing fourth in the Western Conference after firing their coach and GM with a week left in the season, while Gilgeous-Alexander pairs his efficient scoring with valuable work at the other end for the league's (by far) top defensive team.

Lu Dort (Oklahoma City Thunder): Speaking of valuable defensive players for the Thunder, Dort is one of the premier perimeter defenders in the league, using his tenacity and solid frame to harass the opposition's star ball-handlers. Guarding the other team's best player is a draining job, and so Dort is averaging only 10.1 points per game. But his willingness to do the dirty work epitomizes the Thunder's exceptional team spirit. OKC awaits the winner of the play-in game for the eighth seed in the West.

Jamal Murray (Denver Nuggets): The talented but oft-injured guard was a