The Oklahoma City Thunder are set to pay a visit to the Los Angeles Lakers on Monday following their four-game winning streak. Amidst the anticipation over their unbeaten run, the question mark thickens over the availability of their talisman Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. The MVP candidate’s minor injury in the last game has raised concerns as the Thunder prepare for the City of Angels challenge.
Advertisement
According to the latest injury report, his involvement against the Lakers remains questionable. The Canadian star is suffering from a right knee sprain which he reportedly sustained on Saturday in the home clash against the Orlando Magic. This could result in pain, swelling, and instability for the 25-year-old, taking him a few weeks to recover properly.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander being listed as questionable ahead of tomorrow’s game vs the Lakers with a right knee sprain.
He’s currently the only name on the injury report.
— Joel Lorenzi (@jxlorenzi) January 14, 2024
His possible absence could become a huge setback for the franchise as the point guard has consistently been a leading player in the NBA this season. Registering 31.5 points per game, 5.9 rebounds per game, and 6.4 assists per game, the 6ft 6″ star has been key to the Thunder’s 27-11 till now. With a total of twenty-eight 30+ points games and five 40+ points games, he remains a prime contender for the MVP award at this stage.
So, the Thunder would need to sketch out certain solutions in case their talisman remains unable to feature on the court. This could put the entire roster under immense pressure as the 2023 All-Star leads the league in steals per game and ranks third in points per game. This time around, the team must plan better, after all, they failed miserably without him the last time.
How did the Oklahoma City Thunder play without Shai Gilgeous-Alexander this season?
His absence from an in-season tournament clash last year remains his only missed game till now this season. On 3rd November 2023, the Toronto-born could not feature against the Golden State Warriors due to a sprained left knee. The Thunder coped well without before succumbing to the pressure and eventually losing the game 139-141.
The franchise can not afford a repeat of that event in the upcoming game against the Lakers. With the league entering a more competitive phase ahead of the playoffs, the organization remains focused on earning a top seed. Luckily for them, Gilgeous-Alexander is the only name on their injury list, opening up the possibilities for the coaching staff to test others out.
The team has grown rapidly since the November defeat to the Warriors. Their young core has made the headlines for astonishing performances time and again. With the possible absence of their talisman, the fans would be keeping an eye on them once again as the time has come for them to step up further.
