On Sunday, the Oklahoma City Thunder will travel to the Big Apple to take on the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden. OKC is engaged in a tight three-way battle with the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Denver Nuggets for the top spot in the Western Conference standings. They currently have the same record as the Timberwolves, who lead the standings due to their superior record against divisional opponents. OKC holds a 0.5-game lead over the Nuggets, who’ll take on the Cleveland Cavaliers on Sunday.
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A win in New York is critical for OKC’s chances of claiming the top spot in the West. However, they can be at a disadvantage against the Knicks despite their superior record because of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander‘s injury status. The MVP candidate has missed OKC’s last two games with a right quad contusion. The team had hoped that he’d be ready for their trip to Madison Square Garden, but the latest injury report doesn’t provide much reassurance to fans about Shai’s availability.
In the NBA’s latest injury report, SGA has been listed as ‘doubtful’ for OKC’s trip to New York. This usually means that he won’t be cleared for the game against the Knicks and will have to watch from the sidelines as his team attempts to maintain their slender lead over the reigning NBA champions, the Nuggets.
SGA’s absence at this critical juncture is a massive blow to OKC’s odds of securing home-court advantage in the playoffs and his MVP candidacy. The young guard is averaging 30.4 points, 6.3 assists, and 5.6 rebounds this season and has been among the frontrunners to win the coveted prize. But his injury has affected his chances at the very end of the season.
Regardless, OKC won’t take any risks to rush SGA back with the playoffs right around the corner. Finishing third in the Western Conference standings won’t be nearly as bad as not having him healthy in the playoffs.
OKC’s record without Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
This season, SGA has been sensational on the court and had a clean health bill until recently. He has missed only three games this season, with two being OKC’s most recent games. They were 0-2 without their star guard, but finally managed to win a game without him in their latest fixture. OKC thrashed a full-strength Phoenix Suns team 128-103 at home to keep pace with the Timberwolves. Five players scored 15 or more points, with Josh Giddey leading the way with 23 points, nine assists, and seven rebounds.
OKC’s young stars will have to repeat their heroics from their win over the Suns to combat SGA’s absence against a Knicks team that has lost only two of their last nine games. The odds are stacked against the visitors, but tough situations like these will help the young roster build resilience and character, as they look to prove their legitimacy as title contenders.
