OKLAHOMA CITY –
The Oklahoma City Thunder will be without Shai Gilgeous-Alexander on Tuesday night against the Chicago Bulls.
Gilgeous-Alexander is listed out for injury management after returning from an abdominal strain last week. Center Isaiah Hartenstein is also out for injury management.
The Thunder have won two straight since SGA returned, defeating the Denver Nuggets and the Dallas Mavericks. OKC now enters the final 20 games of the regular season with one of the league’s toughest remaining schedules.
According to tankathon.com, the Thunder now have the second-most difficult schedule left in the NBA.
MVP eligibility watch
Gilgeous-Alexander remains firmly in the MVP conversation alongside Denver’s Nikola Jokic.
The NBA requires players to appear in at least 65 games to qualify for major postseason awards. SGA will have missed 12 games, meaning he can miss only five more the rest of the season to remain eligible for back-to-back MVP honors.
Jokic would be ineligible if he misses another game.
Stretch run begins
OKC has 20 games remaining as it pushes for playoff positioning in the Western Conference.
Gilgeous-Alexander is averaging 31.8 points, 4.4 rebounds and 6.4 assists per game this season.
The Thunder continue their road swing Tuesday in Chicago before traveling to face the New York Knicks on Wednesday.
Thunder at Chicago tomorrow night — injury report:
Out:
Branden Carlson
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Injury Management
Isaiah Hartenstein Injury Management
Ajay Mitchell
Nikola Topic (G League)
Jalen Williams
— News 9 (@NEWS9) March 2, 2026