OKLAHOMA CITY –
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is off the injury report and set to return to the lineup for the Oklahoma City Thunder on Friday night against the Denver Nuggets.
The reigning MVP has missed the past nine games with an abdominal strain and last played in the Thunder’s win over the Orlando Magic on Feb. 3. He was not listed on the NBA’s latest injury report on Thursday.
Gilgeous-Alexander also missed NBA All-Star Weekend activities in Los Angeles while recovering.
Jalen Williams and Ajay Mitchell remain out, along with Branden Carlson, who left early with a lower back strain during Wednesday’s 124-116 loss to the Detroit Pistons.
Isaiah Joe and Jaylin Williams, who were also sidelined Wednesday, are expected to return. Chet Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein will also play.
Friday’s matchup against Denver tips off at 8:30 p.m. in Oklahoma City and will be nationally televised on ESPN. It marks the second meeting between the two teams this season. OKC won 121-111 in Denver on Feb. 1.
The game also features the two leading MVP candidates in Gilgeous-Alexander and Denver’s Nikola Jokic.
Both players are approaching the NBA’s 65-game minimum to qualify for postseason awards. Gilgeous-Alexander has missed 11 games and can miss six more before becoming ineligible. Jokic would be ineligible if he misses another game this season.
The Thunder are 45-15 with 22 games remaining, facing what tankathon.com ranks as the second-toughest remaining schedule in the league. Denver has the toughest.
This season, Gilgeous-Alexander is averaging 31.8 points, 4.5 rebounds and 6.4 assists per game.