Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Suffers Injury Scare in Game 2

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Paolo Songco | Last updated Apr 22, 2026 10:27 PM ET

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Oklahoma City Thunder are looking to go up 2-0 against the Phoenix Suns on Wednesday night.

The Thunder dominated the Suns in Game 1 on Sunday, 119-84. Gilgeous-Alexander led the way for the defending champions with 25 points on 5-of-18 shooting, four rebounds, seven assists and two blocks in 29 minutes of action.

It was far from the reigning NBA MVP’s best performance, but it was enough to lift the No. 1 seed Thunder to a win in their series opener against the eighth-seeded Suns.

Gilgeous-Alexander was back on the court on Wednesday for Game 2, but he suffered a concerning injury scare in the first quarter of the game.

Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) gestures after scoring against the Denver Nuggets.Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

The NBA honored Gilgeous-Alexander right before tipoff on Wednesday. The four-time All-Star received the Jerry West Clutch Player of the Year Award. Gilgeous-Alexander was recognized for his strong play in clutch situations all season long.

Gilgeous-Alexander, however, hit the deck in the first quarter of the game. He used his left hand to break his fall after driving to the basket. The Thunder star immediately grabbed his hand as he lay on the ground.

Gilgeous-Alexander was able to get up on his own, but he was clearly in pain as he walked to the opposite end of the court.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander appeared to injure his hand on this play in the 1st quarter of Thunder-Suns Game 2, but stayed in the game.pic.twitter.com/z5zjoSXCZq
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) April 23, 2026

The good news is that Gilgeous-Alexander was able to remain in the game. It did not look like he was bothered by the issue as he continued to play on in the first half. Nevertheless, this is still worth monitoring as both the game and the series progress.

It has been a tightly contested affair in Oklahoma City thus far. As of writing, the Thunder are up, 42-36, with nine minutes remaining in the second quarter.

Gilgeous-Alexander already has 11 points on 5-of-9 shooting in 12 minutes of play.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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