Shai Gilgeous-Alexander good to go against Spurs

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is ready to go against the San Antonio Spurs on Wednesday evening as the Oklahoma City Thunder travel to the AT&T Center in San Antonio, Texas to take on the Spurs. The OKC Thunder are on a six-game losing streak, turning in a 2-8 record in their last ten games. The Bricktown boys currently sit three games back of the worst record in basketball. The Spurs have collected six more wins than the Thunder, making Greg Popovich the winningest coach in NBA history. The Spurs are eight and a half games back of being the worst team in the NBA, though just two games out from the NBA Play-In postseason tournament.

When the injury report came out last night for this tilt, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was listed as questionable due to an ankle injury that has hampered him throughout this season. Mark Daigneault, the OKC Thunder bench boss, praised Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s work ethic in his rehab to be able to play in this game and rehab his ankle injury which flared up in the last game. No surprise that given the workload for the max contract point guard, and his usage rate given injuries to the rest of the squad Gilgeous-Alexander is nursing ankle soreness likely for the rest of the year.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander will play vs the Spurs, but the Oklahoma City Thunder will still miss key pieces on Wednesday night

Mark Daigneault confirmed pregame that Shai Gilgeous-Alexander will be in the starting lineup and active today against the Spurs, but that does not make the OKC Thunder any less shorthanded. While a testament to his rehab process and dedication to be on the floor, the Thunder are still without Mike Muscala, Lu Dort, and Ty Jerome for the rest of the season. Kenrich Williams, Josh Giddey, Jeremiah Robinson-Earl, and Derrick Favors remain out as well.

Pregame in San Antonio, Josh Giddey and Kenrich Williams began some on-court work which might signal a return is new for Giddey and Williams who are dealing with a hip and knee injury respectively. Mark Daigneault and the Thunder have not ruled either out for the remainder of the season.