The OKC Thunder are looking to become the first team since the 2018 Golden State Warriors to repeat as NBA Champions. Of course, in order to accomplish such a goal, having a healthy and spry Shai Gilgeous-Alexander leading the charge come April and beyond is a must.
Though early signs suggested the superstar was in for yet another grueling campaign headlined by heavy usage, over the past few games, a trend has begun to emerge that, in theory, could prove to be the difference between falling short and going back-to-back.
Thunder adjusting Shai Gilgeous-Alexander minutes for the better
After finishing within the top 20 with minutes logged during the 2024-25 regular season, with the most played during the 2025 NBA Playoffs, and enduring the shortest offseason in the association due to their championship round bleeding into late June, seeing Gilgeous-Alexander record 47 and 45 minutes right out of the gate in 2025-26 was rather worrisome.