Thunder’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander sidelined until after All-Star break with abdominal strain
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander will be out of action until after the All-Star break due to an abdominal strain, the team announced Wednesday.
The reigning MVP suffered the injury during Oklahoma City’s 128-92 win over the Orlando Magic on Tuesday night. It means the Canadian guard will sit out the All-Star games on Feb. 15. Commissioner Adam Silver will choose his replacement.
Gilgeous-Alexander also will miss Wednesday night’s showdown with the San Antonio Spurs. The team said it will re-evaluate him after the break.
It’s a huge loss for the defending NBA champion Thunder, who lead the league with a 40-11 record. Gilgeous-Alexander is the league’s No. 2 scorer with 31.8 points per game. He is on a streak of 121 consecutive games with at least 20 points scored — the second longest streak in NBA history, trailing only Wilt Chamberlain’s run of 126 straight games.
He barely kept his streak alive on Tuesday night, scoring exactly 20 points before sitting out the fourth quarter.
Gilgeous-Alexander is having perhaps his best all-around season. He ranks among the league leaders in field-goal percentage at 55.4% (14th) and in assists, with 6.4 per contest (15th).
His injury is just the latest in a string of health setbacks for the Thunder.
In the win over Orlando, Oklahoma City played without Jalen Williams, who missed his eighth straight game with a hamstring injury, and Ajay Mitchell, who sat out his sixth game in a row with an abdominal strain. Williams was an All-Star in 2025 and Mitchell has been one of the league’s most improved players in his second year.
The Thunder are sitting much of their team on Wednesday. Williams and Mitchell remain out. All-Star Chet Holmgren (lower back spasms), starting guard Lu Dort (knee inflammation), starting center Isaiah Hartenstein (eye abrasion) and reserve Alex Caruso (right adductor) are listed as out on the injury report. Hartenstein just returned from injury and had his first career triple-double on Tuesday night.
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