Over the last handful of games, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has had a noticeable dip in production.
In his last three contests, he’s averaged 19.7 points on 44% shooting, six assists and five rebounds. He has shot 18.2% from 3 on 3.7 attempts. The drive-heavy guard has played a tame version of his style, settling for contested midrange jumpers.
After the Oklahoma City Thunder’s exciting win over the New Orleans Pelicans, Gilgeous-Alexander revealed he’s been dealing with a quad injury. He sustained it in last week’s win over the Utah Jazz. This aligns with the recent string of subpar outings.
“Little banged up in my quad since the Utah game,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “Just take it day by day, see how I feel when I wake up.”
Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault added Gilgeous-Alexander is not fully healthy right now and that it’s something they’ll monitor during the final weeks of the regular season.
“He’s banged up, for sure. He’s not 100%. We’re monitoring it, but he’s certainly not a hundred percent,” Daigneault said. “I’ll let him speak on it.”
It’s also important to note that at this point of the season, most players are likely dealing with ailments. Considering he’s played in three games since the incident and hasn’t been listed on the injury report, it must not be a serious matter.
But if the injury continues to be a hindrance, the smarter route would likely involve giving Gilgeous-Alexander some days off. He’s played in 70 of OKC’s 71 games this season.
If the Thunder are to make a run in the playoffs, they’ll need their MVP candidate to be as close to fully healthy as possible.
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