Oklahoma City Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault provided major injury updates to three players in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Josh Giddey and Jeremiah Robinson-Earl before Saturday’s game against the Denver Nuggets.
Gilgeous-Alexander, who has been dealing with a sore right ankle for several games now, was ruled out for the Thunder’s game against the Nuggets. Daigneault also mentioned that the team will have a conversation with Gilgeous-Alexander in the next couple of days over his status for the rest of the regular season. Reading between lines, it sounds like the Thunder will shut down Gilgeous-Alexander for the rest of the regular season, which will be just eight games after Saturday.
Giddey, who has been out for the entirety of the All-Star break sans the first game back with hip soreness, was officially ruled out for the rest of the regular season. Daigneault said that Giddey is progressing well and him being ruled out for the rest of the regular season is simply a time issue where his return to play portion of rehab did not align with the rest of the season. Daigneault also noted that Giddey has never dealt with hip problems before as well.
“It’s a tricky injury that’s a little unpredictable,” said Daigneault about Giddey’s hip. “I would not say it met or didn’t meet an expectation. We didn’t really have an expectation.”
In a little bit surprising news, Daigneault also disclosed that he expects Jeremiah Robinson-Earl to return before the end of the regular season. Robinson-Earl has been out the last six weeks due to a fractured foot he suffered in early February.
