The surging Oklahoma City Thunder were dealt a devastating blow ahead of their clash with the Dallas Mavericks on Friday night. In a surprise turn of events, their superstar guard and MVP frontrunner Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was ruled out with a sore right wrist, leaving a gaping hole in their lineup.
Thunder’s MVP Candidate Sidelined
Gilgeous-Alexander, who has taken the league by storm this season and catapulted the Thunder to an impressive 34-6 start, was a late addition to the injury report. After an abbreviated warmup routine, it was determined that the NBA’s scoring leader would have to watch from the sidelines.
Was fine this morning and then came to the arena and was a little bit sore.
– Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault on Gilgeous-Alexander’s wrist
Gilgeous-Alexander’s Phenomenal Start
Before the injury, SGA was putting together a season for the ages:
- 31.6 points per game (leads NBA)
- 5.4 rebounds and 6.0 assists per game
- 2.0 steals and 1.1 blocks per game
- Played in all 40 games during OKC’s hot start
His sensational play has not only made him the odds-on favorite for MVP, but also has the young Thunder squad dreaming of a deep playoff run. Now, they’ll have to find a way to maintain their momentum without their floor general.
Next Man Up for OKC
With Gilgeous-Alexander out, the Thunder will lean heavily on their supporting cast to step up:
- Josh Giddey – Dynamic point forward
- Luguentz Dort – Defensive stopper and emerging scorer
- Jalen Williams – Versatile rookie wing
Coach Daigneault will have to get creative with his rotations and game plan to generate offense without their go-to scorer. The silver lining is this will provide valuable experience for their young core.
Mavericks Aim to Capitalize
For Luka Doncic and the Mavericks, this is a prime opportunity to defend their home court against a short-handed opponent. Dallas has been inconsistent this season but remains a dangerous team, especially with Doncic leading the charge.
They’ll look to exploit SGA’s absence on both ends:
- Attack the Thunder’s perimeter defense
- Force others besides Gilgeous-Alexander to create offense
- Push the pace to wear down OKC’s short rotation
A win here for the Mavs could build some positive momentum as they aim to climb the standings in a tightly contested Western Conference playoff picture.
The Verdict
Losing your best player is never easy, especially in the midst of a fairytale season. But the Thunder have defied expectations all year long and have the talent and teamwork to weather this storm.
This is just another challenge to overcome, and I have confidence in this team to step up.
– Gilgeous-Alexander to ESPN after the game
The NBA world will be watching closely to see how OKC responds. With a grueling schedule ahead, other teams will surely look to pounce. But if there’s one thing we’ve learned, it’s to never underestimate the heart of this Thunder squad.
