Thunder's Gilgeous-Alexander Sits Out OT Due to Minutes Restriction

Superstar guard couldn't bear to watch as teammates rallied for win over Nuggets

Mar. 3, 2026 at 3:47am

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Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was forced to sit out the overtime period of the Oklahoma City Thunder's 127-121 home win over the Denver Nuggets on Friday due to a minutes restriction in his first game back from an abdominal strain. The superstar guard, who racked up 36 points and 9 assists in regulation, said he "hates watching pressure moments" when he's not involved, spending much of the OT period with his eyes shut or face buried in a towel. Despite Gilgeous-Alexander's absence, the Thunder's supporting cast stepped up to secure the victory.

Why it matters

Gilgeous-Alexander's minutes restriction highlights the challenges the Thunder have faced with injuries this season, as key players like Jalen Williams, Isaiah Hartenstein, Alex Caruso, and Ajay Mitchell have all missed significant time. However, the team's ability to win without their superstar shows the depth and resilience they've developed through these experiences.

The details

Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault informed Gilgeous-Alexander and Hartenstein before the game that they may not play in overtime due to minutes restrictions on their returns from injury. Gilgeous-Alexander played 34 minutes, the limit set for his first game back. In the extra period, backup big man Jaylin Williams held Nuggets star Nikola Jokic to just 2 points, Alex Caruso made a key steal and layup, Isaiah Joe hit a clutch 3-pointer, and Chet Holmgren recorded a career-high 21 rebounds and a crucial block.

  • Gilgeous-Alexander and Hartenstein were informed before the game about the minutes restriction.
  • Gilgeous-Alexander played 34 minutes in regulation.

The players

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

The Oklahoma City Thunder's superstar guard, who is the reigning NBA MVP and was returning from a 24-day absence due to an abdominal strain.

Mark Daigneault

The head coach of the Oklahoma City Thunder, who informed Gilgeous-Alexander and Hartenstein about the minutes restriction before the game.

Isaiah Hartenstein

The Thunder's backup big man, who also missed overtime due to a minutes restriction in his return from injury.

Jaylin Williams

The Thunder's backup big man, who stepped up in overtime to limit Nuggets star Nikola Jokic to just 2 points.

Alex Caruso

The Thunder guard, who made a key steal and layup in overtime to help seal the win.

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What they’re saying

“I hate watching pressure moments when I'm not in them. I hate it. I hate it. It's not that I don't have faith in my teammates or anything like that. I just can't stand the pressure when I'm not involved. When I'm involved, I love it. But when I'm not involved, I hate it.”

— Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

“They kind of had no choice because if they tried that on the fly, I wasn't gonna go. They had to get ahead of it, for sure. But with that being said, it is the right decision to make. If I re-injure this injury, all of it and everything that we've done up to this point doesn't matter. So that's first and foremost.”

— Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

“The moments I was watching, it was pretty impressive.”

— Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

What’s next

It's unclear how much longer Gilgeous-Alexander will play on a minutes restriction, but the Thunder have shown they can win without their superstar when needed.

The takeaway

The Thunder's ability to rally for a win over the Nuggets without their MVP-caliber guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander for the overtime period demonstrates the team's depth and resilience in the face of numerous injuries this season. This performance should give the team and its fans confidence that they can continue to compete at a high level even when key players are sidelined.