Oklahoma City Thunder's Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Shreds Utah Jazz in Return

Oklahoma City Thunder superstar Shai Gilgeous-Alexander picked up right where he left off in his return from injury on Sunday night. The newly-minted All-Star recorded 38 points, seven rebounds, four assists, and three steals in a 129-119 win over the Utah Jazz.

In an exciting matchup, high energy and efficiency on both ends of the floor led the Thunder to a 129-119 win over the Jazz.

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— OKC THUNDER (@okcthunder) March 6, 2023

Gilgeous-Alexander missed the previous five games of the season due to a combination of an abdominal strain and ankle soreness, but you'd never know it. He hit 10 of his 17 field goal attempts and 17 of his 19 free throws in a little under 37 minutes. For the season, he's averaging a remarkable 31.1 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 5.7 assists per game with a solid .625 true shooting percentage. He was also remarkably durable before his recent absence; he has started 55 of a possible 64 games this season.

The Oklahoma City Thunder are only 30-34 and 12th in the Western Conference, but they're likely quite happy with where they are as a franchise. Gilgeous-Alexander appears to have broken out as a genuine superstar at only 24 years old, and no team in the NBA sports a deeper stockpile of future draft assets. The Thunder may not realistically compete for an NBA Finals appearance this year or next, but their future is as bright as it has been since the days of Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, and James Harden.

The Thunder host the Golden State Warriors on Tuesday night.