The Oklahoma City Thunder got their star back against the Denver Nuggets on Friday night. It showed.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander posted 36 points, three rebounds and nine assists on 12-of-29 shooting from the floor. Although he did not make a massive impact in the fourth quarter (and sat out overtime), it was clear the Thunder's offensive structure was beginning to find its rightful order.
As the San Antonio Spurs continue their win streak, Oklahoma City can't afford to let their foot off the gas for even a second. Gilgeous-Alexander's return could be a massive boon for their bid to hold onto the one-seed.
But even a star of his caliber can't play all 48 minutes. Against Denver, the Thunder totaled 49 points off the bench, with Alex Caruso and Jared McCain having particularly remarkable performances. But this combination of players will not be viable night-in and night-out to help Oklahoma City compete against the best teams in the league.
They need Ajay Mitchell, and his scoring and ball-handling presence off the bench, back as soon as possible.
The Thunder need an additional offensive hub in the non-SGA minutes
While the team played admirably in Gilgeous-Alexander's absence, it was clear they needed him back expeditiously. His ability to collapse the defense and draw contact or dish the ball out to one of the Thunder's shooters is virtually unmatched in the NBA.
Any chance they have of finishing the season out strong rested upon his return.
But Gilgeous-Alexander physically cannot be on the court for the entirety of games. As he heals up from his injury, it's reasonable to expect that his minutes will be limited to prepare for the playoffs.
Mitchell, who has been out since Jan. 21 with an abdominal strain, is their solution. He's had a breakout campaign in his third NBA season, averaging 14.1 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 3.7 assists while knocking down 35% of his attempts from beyond the arc. Per Databallr, the Thunder have a 17.5 net rating in the 913 minutes he's been on the court this season.
Oklahoma City's bench outplayed Denver's on Friday, but it was largely a result of their defensive intensity, not their offensive cohesion. If the Thunder want to return to their dominant ways before the end of the regular season, they will need to have the full range of their depth back, especially if Jalen Williams' return is delayed further.
Mitchell is the key to that, and he provides the skill-set this team still desperately needs.