Feb. 28, 2026, 3:00 p.m. CT
Whiffing on a couple of chances to either hit the dagger or game-winner, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander will have to wait for their next matchup against the Denver Nuggets to redeem his forgettable clutch-time performance.
The reigning MVP returned from a nine-game absence caused by an abdominal strain, but he’s not totally out of the woods yet with the injury. Game circumstances forced the Oklahoma City Thunder to show their hand with his status in their 127-121 overtime win.
As overtime started, Gilgeous-Alexander remained on the bench. An eye-popping omission from the game’s biggest moment. The move shocked everybody but a handful of people at the moment. After all, why wouldn’t you want the reigning MVP to be on the floor to carry you to a win?
Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault revealed why. The Thunder are ramping Gilgeous-Alexander back up after a lengthy absence. The first in his career since they ascended into an NBA champion. That meant capping him at 34 minutes — even if it means he sits out in a hypothetical overtime.
“We actually discussed that situation with both him and Hart before the game. Just so we’re all clear in a non-emotional moment, that if we were in that situation, that’s what we would do. We obviously did it,” Daigneault said. “I understand it’s a little unorthodox, but at the end of the day, we’re trying to prioritize the health of our players as they come back from an injury.”
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Gilgeous-Alexander finished with 36 points on 12-of-29 shooting, nine assists and three rebounds. He shot 12-of-13 on free throws. While the Thunder would rather have had him out there, they managed to score 20 points in overtime as Cason Wallace, Isaiah Joe and Chet Holmgren crossed the finish line in a group effort.
As badly as Gilgeous-Alexander wanted to be out there, he understood it wasn’t worth the risk. Learning to play without him, OKC found a formula to dominate those final five minutes.
“It sucks. I hate it. I can’t wait for the minute restriction to be over. But if I re-injure this injury, none of it will matter,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “That’s kinda how I see it.”
Interesting to hear Gilgeous-Alexander isn’t fully cleared to take on his usual Superman workload. Sounds like hurting his abdominal muscles again would mean a season-ending injury — which would obviously barbecue OKC’s back-to-back title ambitions.
It’s a little alarming to find that out. The Thunder won’t explicitly call it a minutes restriction, but it feels like that — even if it’s a soft one. After all, 34 minutes in regulation is around a normal workload for Gilgeous-Alexander. Let’s keep an eye on that for the rest of the way.