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Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of the Oklahoma City Thunder sits on the bench during a break in play against the Toronto Raptors in the second half of their NBA game at Scotiabank Arena on March 22, 2024 in Toronto, Canada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Cole Burston/Getty Images)
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander hated every second of it.
As the Oklahoma City Thunder battled through overtime without him, the reigning MVP covered his eyes with a towel on the bench, powerless to help as his teammates gutted out a 127–121 victory over the Denver Nuggets in a chippy, playoff-level matchup Friday night.
“It sucks. I hate it,” Gilgeous-Alexander said afterward. “I can’t wait for the minute restriction to be over. But if I reinjure this injury, none of it will matter. That’s how I see it.”
Minutes Restriction Forced a Pre-Planned Thunder Call
Gilgeous-Alexander was playing under a strict minutes restriction in his first game back after missing nine contests with an abdominal strain. Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault said the decision to sit the team’s best player in overtime was mapped out well before tipoff — intentionally removing emotion from a potentially chaotic moment.
Gilgeous-Alexander confirmed that plan, even admitting he would have resisted if it were sprung on him in the heat of the moment.
“They kind of had no choice, because if they tried that on the fly, I wasn’t going to go,” he said. “So they had to get ahead of it. With that being said, it is the right decision to make. If I reinjure this injury, everything we’ve done up to this point doesn’t matter. That’s first and foremost.”
Dominant Night Until the Clock Ran Out
Despite sitting out overtime, Gilgeous-Alexander still delivered a signature performance in regulation, finishing with 36 points in 34 minutes while adding nine assists, three rebounds, two steals and two blocks.
Oklahoma City trailed 83–77 entering the fourth quarter before rallying behind its superstar. The Thunder surged ahead 107–105 with 1:23 remaining, only for Denver’s Nikola Jokić to answer with a tying basket with 38 seconds left.
The Nuggets then forced overtime when Christian Braun blocked Gilgeous-Alexander’s late attempt, sending the game into an extra session where the Thunder would have to survive without their MVP.
Watching Was Worse Than Playing
That survival test was excruciating for Gilgeous-Alexander to endure from the sideline.
“I hate watching pressure moments when I’m not in them,” he said. “I hate it. It’s not because I don’t have faith in my teammates — I just can’t stand pressure when I’m not involved. When I’m involved, I love it. But when I’m not involved, I hate it.”
Thunder’s Depth Delivers in Overtime
Without Gilgeous-Alexander — and without Isaiah Hartenstein — Oklahoma City’s supporting cast rose to the moment. Cason Wallace and Isaiah Joe scored six points apiece in overtime, while Chet Holmgren calmly knocked down all four of his free throws to seal the win.
The victory preserved the Thunder’s hold atop the Western Conference standings, maintaining a two-game cushion over the San Antonio Spurs.
“I was 100% confident going into overtime,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “Even though I wasn’t playing and Hart wasn’t playing, I knew we had a shot to win for sure.”
Trust Built Through Adversity
Gilgeous-Alexander credited Oklahoma City’s recent stretch — marked by injuries and lineup shuffling — for building the trust required to survive moments like Friday night.
“The group’s been impressive the last couple weeks with so many guys out,” he said. “We’ve had three of our primary handlers out for almost a month now. Most teams don’t go through that. The way they’ve found ways to score and win games has been very impressive.”
He admitted he expected the defense to hold, but worried about how the offense would respond without familiar creators.
“They’ve done a great job figuring it out on the fly,” he said. “Guys have stepped up in big ways — not only tonight, but over the past couple weeks.”
A Win That Meant More
Doing it against Denver — one of Oklahoma City’s primary Western Conference challengers — made the win even sweeter, even if Gilgeous-Alexander wasn’t on the floor when it mattered most.
“Guys made shots, made plays, got stops — what felt like the whole overtime,” he said. “Super impressive, especially against a high-powered offense like that. To get stops against a premier offense speaks volumes about our defense.”
For Gilgeous-Alexander, the frustration was real, but so was the perspective.
“It sucks,” he said. “But it was the right decision to make.”
And the Thunder walked away with a statement win to prove it.
Alder Almo is a sports journalist covering the NBA for Heavy.com. He has more than 20 years of experience in local and international media, including broadcast, print and digital. He previously covered the Knicks for Empire Sports Media and the NBA for Off the Glass. Alder is from the Philippines and is now based in Jersey City, New Jersey. More about Alder Almo
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