OKLAHOMA CITY –

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has been removed from the injury report and is expected to return Friday night when the Thunder host the Denver Nuggets at Paycom Center. The reigning NBA MVP missed the past nine games with an abdominal strain suffered in Oklahoma City’s Feb. 3 win over Orlando.

Oklahoma City went 5-4 during his absence and stayed afloat in the Western Conference race, but the Thunder are undeniably different when their superstar is on the floor.

YouTube Poll HERE. With SGA back, what matters MOST over the final 22 games?

Reigning MVP returns after nine-game absence as Oklahoma City prepares for Denver showdown with Western Conference lead tightening

February 27, 2026 09:30 AM

2 min read

MVP production returns

Before the injury, Gilgeous-Alexander was again performing at an MVP level, averaging:

31.8 points6.4 assists4.4 rebounds1.3 steals55.4% shooting33.3 minutes per game

He has also scored at least 20 points in 120 consecutive games.

Because of the NBA’s 65-game minimum for major awards, Gilgeous-Alexander can miss only six more games the rest of the season to remain eligible for MVP honors, where he currently remains the betting favorite.

Minutes watch becomes key storyline

One of the biggest questions on Friday night is how Oklahoma City manages Gilgeous-Alexander’s workload.

He was averaging just over 33 minutes across 49 games before the injury and has been out nearly a month. The Thunder have consistently taken a cautious approach with injured players this season, prioritizing long-term health over short-term urgency.

While SGA is expected to resume his normal closing role, it would not be surprising to see his minutes monitored early as the team looks ahead to April and May.

Thunder nearing full strength

Even with Gilgeous-Alexander back, Oklahoma City is not completely whole.

All-NBA wing Jalen Williams remains sidelined with a right hamstring strain and is expected to be reevaluated next week. Key reserve Ajay Mitchell is also out after dealing with an abdominal injury and ankle sprain.

Still, this is about as close to full strength as the Thunder have been in weeks. Oklahoma City expects to have Chet Holmgren, Isaiah Hartenstein, Alex Caruso, and Isaiah Joe available after Wednesday’s injury-depleted loss in Detroit.

Western Conference pressure rising

The urgency is real.

Oklahoma City still holds the top spot in the Western Conference, but the margin has tightened with the red-hot San Antonio Spurs charging up the standings after an extended winning streak.

The race for the No. 1 seed matters particularly in a crowded West where playoff matchups could be dramatically affected by seeding. While Oklahoma City’s defense has proven it can travel, securing home-court advantage would provide the clearest path through the conference.

Getting Gilgeous-Alexander back now helps stabilize that push.

Strength vs. strength matchup

Friday’s game features one of the league’s premier contrasts:

Denver: NBA-best 120.7 offensive ratingOklahoma City: League-best 106.4 defensive rating

Nikola Jokic enters the matchup coming off an MVP level performance against Boston, while the Nuggets continue searching for defensive consistency.

Additional storylines to watch

Potential first NBA matchup between Serbian teammates Nikola Jokic and Nikola TopicHow quickly OKC’s rotation chemistry returns with SGA backWhether the Thunder can maintain their defensive edge against the league’s top offense

The teams split their season series so far, with Oklahoma City winning 121-111 in Denver on Feb. 1. Friday marks Denver’s first trip to OKC since the Thunder’s Game 7 playoff blowout last postseason.

How to watch: Nuggets vs. Thunder

Time: 8:30 p.m. CTTV: ESPN, FanDuel Sports Network OklahomaLocation: Paycom Center (Oklahoma City)

Injury report (as of Feb. 27)

Thunder:

Jalen Williams — Out (right hamstring)Ajay Mitchell — Out (abdominal strain/ankle sprain)Branden Carlson — Out (low back strain)

Nuggets:

Aaron Gordon — Out (right hamstring)Peyton Watson — Out (right hamstring)Jamal Murray — Questionable (illness)Spencer Jones — Questionable (shoulder)Jalen Pickett — Questionable (knee)Julian Strawther — Probable (toe)

Oklahoma City has already proven it can weather adversity. Now, with its MVP back and the Western Conference race tightening, the stretch run is about to get very real.