Thunder Needs a Healthy Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to Get Back On Track

Oklahoma City's superstar was gimpy on the road trip, and having him at his best is more important than ever before.

After winning four games in a row, Oklahoma City has suffered back-to-back losses on a West Coast road trip. Two losses to the Clippers and the Lakers, both star-studded teams aiming for the playoffs, isn't a disaster, but a split would've been ideal. Now, the Thunder are left looking for answers.

It's not time to panic, though, and honestly, there's not even a need for worry. Expectations should remain the same after the two losses and the Thunder just needs a quick reset. The most important thing for Oklahoma City is getting Shai Gilgeous-Alexander back to full health, as he was clearly hobbled towards the end of the last two games.

After Oklahoma City's win over Orlando, Gilgeous-Alexander seemed hobbled with a knee injury. Suspicions were confirmed, as he was listed as questionable for the Lakers game. He gave it a go both nights on the back-to-back, and coincidentally, those two nights were rough for the superstar.

Thunder fans have been spoiled with ultra-efficient 30-point outings from Gilgeous-Alexander all season long, so it's easy to tell when something is a bit off. That has been the case over the last two contests.

In the back-to-back, SGA averaged 21.5 points per game on 42.8% from the floor and a combined 1-of-9 from 3-point range. For reference, he's averaging 31.0 points on 55.2% this season. Both performances were well shy of his season averages, and he certainly didn't have the burst or lift he typically has on the offensive end.

Whether it means taking a game or two to rest or missing a few practices here and there, Gilgeous-Alexander needs to be healthy for Oklahoma City's operation to work.

It's not panic time in OKC, the Thunder lost two road games to two good teams. But if Gilgeous-Alexander was hobbled, it's important that he gets right instead of trying to play through the injury. The last thing the team needs is a lingering injury to its star player.

Once Gilgeous-Alexander is back at full strength, the Thunder can pick up right where it left off. A day of rest before gearing up for the Utah Jazz should help his cause.

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