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Reigning NBA Most Valuable Player Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has been cleared to return for the Oklahoma City Thunder after missing nine straight games with an abdominal strain.
Gilgeous-Alexander was not on the official injury report for Friday’s game against the Denver Nuggets and will be available to play for the defending champions, who went 5-4 in his absence. Since Gilgeous-Alexander was hurt in a February 3 victory over Orlando the Thunder’s lead atop the Western Conference has been cut to two games by the San Antonio Spurs, who went into Thursday on a 10-game winning streak.
Gilgeous-Alexander is averaging 31.8 points, 6.4 assists, 4.4 rebounds and 1.3 steals per game and remains a favorite to repeat as MVP. Oklahoma City will still be without Jalen Williams and key reserve Ajay Mitchell.
But the return of Gilgeous-Alexander will be a huge boost for a team that started Wednesday’s game against East-leading Detroit without four of its leading scorers in Gilgeous-Alexander, Williams, Mitchell and center Chet Holmgren.
Isaiah Hartenstein was also absent, and Isaiah Joe and Branden Carlson exited early with injuries as Detroit built a big lead then held on for the win.
Holmgren, Hartenstein and Joe are also expected to be available against Nikola Jokic and the Nuggets.
