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Tim McMahon, ESPN Staff Writer
OKLAHOMA CITY – Superstar guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander will miss the Thunder's home game against the Houston Rockets on Wednesday due to a right quadriceps contusion.
Gilgeous-Alexander was originally injured during a March 20 win over the visiting Utah Jazz. He appeared in the Thunder's next three games, but did not perform up to MVP candidate standards, averaging 19.7 points and shooting 44.2 percent from the field.
After Gilgeous-Alexander scored 24 points in 38 minutes while limping noticeably at times during Tuesday's road win over the New Orleans Pelicans, Thunder coach Mark Daigneault told reporters, “I'm sure. “He's doing well,” he said. “He's not 100 percent. We're monitoring that.”
Gilgeous-Alexander has only missed one past game this season, but ranks third in the league with 30.4 points per game and 54.0 percent shooting. He led the Thunder to a 50-21 record, putting Oklahoma City a half-game behind the defending champion Denver Nuggets in the race for first place in the Western Conference.
The Rockets have the NBA's longest active winning streak with nine games. Houston (36-35) moved up to within one game of the Golden State Warriors for 10th place and the final play-in spot in the West.
