Shai Gilgeous-Alexander returns to the lineup, clears concussion protocol

The OKC Thunder are set to return to the hardwood on Monday night in the Motor City after a rare three-day break. The Oklahoma City Thunder has yet to tip the ball in the air following their historic 73 point loss, the most in NBA history on Thursday night against the Memphis Grizzlies. The boys in blue were down multiple starters and key rotational pieces for that game, namely Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Concussion) and Josh Giddey (flu).

As the OKC Thunder look to snap an eight-game losing streak against the worst team in the Eastern Conference. The Thunder are only a game up on the New Orleans Pelicans for last place in the Western Conference standings.

OKC Thunder announce they are fully healthy entering Monday’s tilt with the Pistons as Shai Gilgeous-Alexander returns

Tonight, the Oklahoma City Thunder get their best player back according to head coach Mark Daigneault. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander will return to the starting lineup with no restrictions as the young point guard cleared the NBA’s concussion protocol. SGA takes his rightful place in the starting lineup against the top overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, Cade Cunningham.

The Oklahoma City Thunder bench boss revealed the rest of the starters for this tilt: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Josh Giddey, Lu Dort, Darius Bazley, and Jeremiah Robinson-Earl. This is how the OKC Thunder have routinely started games when fully healthy, and it once again shows an organizational commitment to Darius Bazley.

Before tonight’s clash with the Pistons, the OKC Thunder also recalled Theo Maledon from the OKC Blue, the team’s G-League affiliate. Vit Krejci and Aaron Wiggins will miss tonight’s tilt on G-League assignment.

The OKC Blue is fresh off a two-game series in Vegas with the NBA G-Leauge ignite program where they saw their 55th overall pick Aaron Wiggins lock down a projected top-five pick in the 2022 NBA Draft, Jaden Hardy. Mark Daigneault touched on how impressive Wiggins’s defense was, and mentioned the organization is looking for more offensive aggressiveness.

Vit Krejci also played in the two game’s against the Ignite, but left the second game early following a knee injury, the same knee he spent the last year rehabbing off a torn ACL. Mark Daigneault did not have an update on Krejci at this time.