OKLAHOMA CITY – Oklahoma City Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault watched All-Star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander dominate for four quarters before sitting out the extra period of Friday's 127-121 overtime win against the Denver Nuggets. In the Western Conference Semifinal rematch, the physical relationship between the two teams began with a flourish, as Gilgeous-Alexander earned a technical foul against Nikola Jokic in the first quarter.
However, Daigneault and Gilgeous-Alexander, returning after missing the previous nine games due to an abdominal injury, scored a set Unannounced minutes restriction He continued doing his work. Gilgeous-Alexander played just under 34 minutes (33:46) in regulation, which Daigneault pointed to as the end of SGA's night regardless of game status.
"He's coming off a 24-day injury. He's coming back to play. One of the conditions to get him on the court tonight is to hold him to a certain point in terms of minutes," Daigneault said. “We actually discussed that situation with both him and [Hartenstein] Before the game. Just so we can all be clear, in a non-emotional moment, that if we were in that situation, this is what we would do.
"We obviously did that. I understand it's a little unconventional, but, at the end of the day, we're trying to prioritize the health of our players as they come back from injury."
While starting center Isaiah Hartenstein was under the same restriction due to a calf strain, Jaylin Williams finished the game, as Jared McCann started the extra period in place of the Thunder's Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
"Incredible effort by the people who were there. The rest of the team had no idea we had that conversation," Daigneault said. "We took over the MVP and our starter at the beginning of overtime, and they attacked that game. They deserve a lot of credit for that."
Mark Daigneault on SGA sitting out in OT: "He's coming off a 24-day injury. Getting back to playing. One of the conditions to get him on the court tonight is to keep him at a certain point in terms of minutes.
“We actually discussed that situation with both him and [Hartenstein]" pic.twitter.com/WjoOQwiwO9
-Joshua Peacock (@Joe_Sway) 28 February 2026
Gilgeous-Alexander had 36 points, nine assists, three rebounds, two blocks and two steals as the Thunder rebounded by 16 points in the second half. Chet Holmgren finished with a career-high 21 rebounds, 15 points and three blocks. Jared McCann led the bench with 14 points on 6-for-8 shooting, including a pair of threes.
Lu Dort's flagrant -2 leads to scuffle between Nikola Jokic vs. Thunder
Thunder veteran Lou Dort earned a crucial 2-0 with 8:03 remaining in the fourth quarter by outplaying Nuggets All-Star Nikola Jokic, which led to a physical altercation between the MVP candidate and Thunder center Jaylin Williams.
After review, officials deemed Lu Dort's foul against Nikola Jokic "unnecessary and excessive", upgrading his simple foul to a serious foul penalty two and ejecting him from the game. Williams and Jokic received double technical fouls, ending Dort's night.
Jokic finished with an impressive triple-double (23 points, 17 rebounds, 14 assists) as the Nuggets lost to the Thunder by six points in overtime.
