With a matchup against the injury-riddled Sixers on Wednesday, the Thunder have chosen to give Most Valuable Player candidate Shai Gilgeous-Alexander a break. The team has announced that SGA won’t play, listing rest as the reason, ESPN relays. It won’t impact his eligibility for the MVP — he’s already played 66 games, one more than needed to qualify for postseason awards.
Jalen Williams and Luguentz Dort are also out due to hip injuries while Isaiah Hartenstein (back) and Cason Wallace (shoulder) are listed as questionable.
We have more from the Northwest Division:
- Speaking of Dort, Thunder coach Mark Daigneault told The Oklahoman’s Joel Lorenzi (Twitter link) that he deserves consideration for the All-Defensive Team as well as Defensive Player of the Year. “I think his time has come for that. I think he’ll get that recognition this year. … we have the best defense in the league statistically and he’s anchored that the entire season,” Daigneault said. “The amount of 30 point games we’ve given up is the lowest in the league by any metric. He’s guarding most of those guys.” Dort has appeared in 62 games and needs to play three more games to qualify for those awards.
- Forward Deni Avdija admits he was blindsided when Washington traded him to the Trail Blazers. “It was nighttime at my place (in Israel), and I woke up. I saw I got traded, and it was very hard for me,” he told Josh Robbins of The Athletic. “All the friendships that I had with the guys there, the city, the fans — it all just disappeared in a second. But everything’s for the good. I feel like I found a nice home in Portland.” Avdija has ramped up his production this month, averaging 20.9 points, 9.6 rebounds and 5.0 assists. “We’ve let him have a lot more responsibility with the ball, and he keeps proving to get better and better at it,” Blazers coach Chauncey Billups said. “He’s like a one-man fast break when he gets the ball. Some of these things, I didn’t even know about when we got him, because we only played him twice a year, so I didn’t know that much. But he’s been a pleasant surprise. The fire that he plays with, I think, takes our team to another level.”
- Jazz coach Will Hardy has given Walker Kessler the green light to shoot 3-pointers. “I’m very, very appreciative of him to give me the opportunity to work on it,” Kessler told Andy Larsen of the Salt Lake Tribune. “And I know, and I believe in myself to know that I can do that. I need to get back in the rhythm of how to do it, because it’s been a long time since I’ve really done it in volume.” Kessler, who will be rested against the Wizards on Wednesday, has taken 11 in his last two appearances but knocked down just one.
So if OKC is loaded with literal stars such as Dort, Holmgren, Williams, Hartenstein, Wiggins, Wallace and Joe, how is SGA “most” valuable” to his loaded team, which can clearly cook without him?
If Curry wasn’t MVP on the GSW teams he led to titles, SGA shouldn’t be considered either. Can’t have your cake and eat it too. GSW was “too loaded” for Curry to be considered MVP, where’s that same energy for SGA here???
Utah is going to….. n no no. I should say Danny is going all out for Cooper. Bottom three have best odds. So expect Danny to navigate Jazz there. As of Now they have same wins as the Wizards. The team who seems to own the #1 pick every year.
Sad teams …….
Deni finally playing up to his potential at 24 yrs old. Upside needs time to become real talent.
Thunder youth is still a hurdle they must get over in playoffs. With Chet and IHart they have the size and depth to do it. SGA at 26 is primed for a run. This could be their year.
Not beating Celtics or Cavs imo.