Thunder Announce Shai Gilgeous-Alexander News Amid Injury Absence

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Paolo Songco | Last updated Dec 9, 2025 7:30 PM ET

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander missed his first game of the season for the Oklahoma City Thunder on Sunday against the Utah Jazz. The reigning NBA MVP was forced to sit out the contest due to an elbow injury.

Despite the absence of their superstar guard, OKC still blew out the Jazz on the road at Delta Center, 131-101. That dominant victory marked the defending champions’ 15th straight win as they improved to 23-1 this season.

OKC is back in action on Wednesday in an NBA Cup quarterfinal showdown against the Phoenix Suns. The team provided an update on Gilgeous-Alexander before the game, and it’s good news for Thunder fans.

Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) during an NBA game. © Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

Gilgeous-Alexander has been the driving force behind OKC’s awe-inspiring run to start the season. In 23 games played thus far, the three-time All-Star has produced averages of 32.8 points o 55.6% shooting, 4.7 rebounds, 6.4 assists and 1.4 steals, while also knocking down 2.2 triples on a 44.3% clip.

Gilgeous-Alexander’s hot start hit a road bump on Sunday, though. The official diagnosis was left elbow bursitis, which forced him to sit out against Utah. As it turns out, this injury has cost him just one game on the shelf.

The Thunder announced on Tuesday via the official injury report that Gilgeous-Alexander will play on Wednesday against the Suns. He was not listed on the injury report, which means that he’s good to go after missing one game.

OKC is headed to the quarterfinals of the NBA Cup after going 4-0 to finish with the top seed in West Group A. They will face the Suns, who finished second with a 3-1 record, in a single-elimination contest. The winner will get to face either the Los Angeles Lakers or the San Antonio Spurs in the semifinal.

The Thunder will host Wednesday’s showdown, with tip-off from Paycom Center scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET.

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

More must-reads: