Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had to empty the tank Monday night, and the Oklahoma City Thunder are going to need that kind of effort again and again.
With three of their four best players sidelined, Gilgeous-Alexander powered Oklahoma City to a 117-102 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers, scoring 43 points on 14-of-35 shooting. He took 13 shots in the fourth quarter alone and finished with 35 shot attempts, a career high, as the Thunder leaned hard on him to close out the game.
That workload is not a luxury for Oklahoma City right now. It’s the reality.
The Thunder are trying to survive without Jalen Williams, Cason Wallace and Chet Holmgren, and the injury damage has already reshaped their season. The team became the first NBA team in 50 years to lose three starters on the same night for 20-plus games in a row, and a win over the LA Clippers on Oct 25 has already thrown a wrench into their championship hopes.
Williams is out for most - if not all - of the 2026-27 season after suffering a fractured fibula and a dislocated ankle, and he required surgery. Wallace is in the same boat after a torn labrum and surgery of his own. Holmgren sustained a torn patellar tendon and is expected to miss two-plus months, though he opted for a biological treatment in hopes of returning sooner.
The Thunder have moved from shock to acceptance, and the plan now is obvious: put the offense on Gilgeous-Alexander’s shoulders until reinforcements arrive. It’s not how they wanted to use him.
Before D.C.C. (Dub, Chet, Caso) went down, the idea was to ease him into more of an off-ball role and preserve his legs for the playoffs.
That’s off the table now.
Holmgren and Williams both seemed to endorse the new approach from the sidelines, at least in spirit. Holmgren posted on his Instagram story: "Dump that clip 2.
Reload and dump it again." Williams followed with a simple "05/06." - a nod to Kobe Bryant’s legendary season, when he averaged 35.4 points on 27 shot attempts per night.
For now, Oklahoma City is asking Gilgeous-Alexander to play in that kind of lane. He looked spent after carrying the load in Cleveland, but the Thunder may need more of the same on Wednesday against Cleveland, then Friday against Memphis, and beyond until Holmgren and Alex Caruso can offer some help.
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Shai Just Gave Thunder Fans A Reason To Exhale
After a rough two-game skid and a growing injury list, the Thunder finally found a way to steady themselves in a 117-112 win over the Cavaliers. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander carried the load with 43 points, but this was more than a one-man rescue act. Oklahoma City also leaned on a handful of rookies and two-way players who gave the bench real substance at a time when the rotation needed it most.
The result mattered not just because it snapped the losing streak, but because it showed the Thunder can still survive nights when the margins are thin and the roster is stretched. Cleveland kept pushing, and the game stayed tight into the final minute, but Oklahoma City had enough poise and enough help to finish it off. For a team trying to keep its footing through injuries, that kind of response can calm a lot of nerves. [Read more 🡒]
Former Sixer Dalen Terry Just Landed An Intriguing New Chance
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The Thunder have been working through a stretch of long-term injury absences, which has made every added body matter a little more than usual. Terry is expected to arrive on a non-guaranteed deal at the veteran minimum, giving Oklahoma City a low-risk chance to see whether he can provide useful minutes while the roster remains in flux. [Read more 🡒]