Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Thunder
It has been a busy year for the Oklahoma City Thunder. Sitting at 40-11, they have the best record in the league once again. They have overcome a few big injuries to continue to keep winning games. It has been next-man-up for them the entire season.
The latest news could test them just a bit, though. Shams Charania reported this afternoon that Shai Gilgeous-Alexander would be out for at least the next week due to an abdominal strain. This is also going to take the reigning NBA MVP out of the All-Star Game.
SGA has been relatively durable over the last three seasons, missing just 15 combined games for the Thunder. With Jalen Williams also currently out of the lineup, this likely means that Chet Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein will step in as the go-to guys for this squad.
The deadline addition of Jared McCain should help things in the interim, too.
More on what SGA’s absence may mean.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is Going to Miss Some Time
The Oklahoma City Thunder being a bit short-handed for the next few weeks will certainly challenge them. Not having Shai Gilgeous-Alexander available is not ideal, but it’s a reality they have to face. They have proven to be a team that can win through many different circumstances.
Subtracting 32 points from the lineup, a guy that shoots 55% not being able to play though, is a bit difficult. Already being without last year’a All-Star Jalen Williams makes things just a bit tough. As mentioned above, they did add Jared McCain at the trade deadline in a move many considered to be a surprise.
McCain had just started to get healthy and be on the floor consistently for the Sixers. The problem there stemmed from the Paul George suspension, and him having to miss the next 25 games. It hit them with some additional tax issues and to get under the apron, they opted to move the young guard.
A guy that can fill it up, he’ll take a chunk of SGA’s minutes, likely playing with Isaiah Joe and Aaron Wiggins in the backcourt.
The team being a bit short-handed for the next few games will surely enable some of the role players to step up. And for All-Star Chet Holmgren, his first crack at being the top option.
Potential Return Date for SGA
As Shai Gilgeous-Alexander now misses time for his abdominal strain, let’s take a look at when he may return. It would appear that SGA will miss no less than five games for OKC. At that rate, his earliest return would be right after the All-Star break on the 20th of February.
It would not appear likely though that he would play then, as a return against a struggling team like the Nets may not be necessary for the team to be able to get the win. Or perhaps there is the other school of thought in that he wouldn’t have to exude as much in his first game in a few weeks.
After Brooklyn, the Thunder play the Cavs on the 22nd of February. A game that will have a lot of attention on it, it sure would be an interesting date to return.
The fact that they will be evaluating him over the break will mean he won’t have to rush. It will be unfortunate that Shai will miss the All-Star Game, but there is the matter of trying to win a second championship.
The most important thing, of course.