When this season began, the Oklahoma City Thunder looked like a generational team that could very well beat the Golden State Warriors’ regular-season record. However, over the last few weeks, they’ve shown signs of vulnerability. They’ve recently lost Shai Gilgeous-Alexander until after the All-Star break. While the severity of the injury is still unknown, former NBA player Gilbert Arenas urged the Thunder to shut him down for as long as possible.

“That’s the bad thing for him, because of how he plays the game,” Arenas said on Gil’s Arena on Thursday. “It’s explosive… He’s never going to be able to tell if it’s truly healed because of how he will practice versus how he will play. It’s like when you have a hamstring injury, it feels better. You’re doing all this, but you never really know until he’s on the break and he takes off, and it’s like, ‘Oh, it’s not there.'”

The Thunder announced the injury after Tuesday’s win against the Orlando Magic. According to Shams Charania, the reigning MVP was dealing with an abdominal strain, and the medical staff will reevaluate him after the All-Star break.

“So, he has to be very careful, if I’m them, I’m going to sit him as long as possible. I don’t want him to keep retweaking it in the playoffs,” Arenas said.

The Thunder are scheduled to play five games between Gilgeous-Alexander’s injury and the All-Star break. They lost their first game, against the San Antonio Spurs, on Wednesday. Isaiah Joe started the game in place of the reigning MVP and led a balanced attack with 22 points. The Thunder went with a tight eight-man rotation. The newly acquired Jared McCain might get more minutes on the floor this week.

This roster shuffling underscores the crucial question facing the franchise: with a championship window wide open, how long can they afford to rest their superstar?

What does Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s absence mean for the Thunder?

Before the Spurs’ loss, the Thunder were 1-1 without Shai Gilgeous-Alexander this season. Including last season’s results, the defending champions have an impressive 7-1 record without him. While it suggests resilience, this injury and the upcoming schedule pose some risk, reinforcing Arenas’ warning.

Top Stories

Jaxson Hayes vs Mascot: Everything You Need to Know About the Entire Episode of Altercation, Suspension and More

“Forgot He Plays Basketball”: NBA Legend Blasts Warriors’ Kristaps Porzingis Trade Amid Jimmy Butler Rumor

Fever Ownership Nowhere on Sophie Cunningham’s “Most Involved” WNBA List

LeBron James-Steph Curry Team-Up Gets Major Boost After Warriors’ Kristaps Porzingis Trade

Crisis Deepens for Chicago Owner as Mismanagement Pulls in Investors, City Officials

In the next four games before the All-Star break, the Thunder will face the Houston Rockets, the Los Angeles Lakers, the Phoenix Suns, and the Milwaukee Bucks. With Gilgeous-Alexander out, they will step on the floor with a compromised offense, putting them in a vulnerable position, at least in the next two games. The Thunder’s offensive rating this season plummets to just 113.5, down from 125.3 when the superstar is on the floor.

However, the team’s current record gives them the leverage they require to rest Gilgeous-Alexander. Even if they lose all four contests, the Thunder will retain their top seed in the West, as they’re five games ahead of the Spurs.

Head coach Mark Daigneault has enough weapons to carry his team. Even if Gilgeous-Alexander is out beyond the break, he wouldn’t want his best player to aggravate his injury in the postseason. A viral video from yesterday showed a week-long pattern of the Thunder’s superstar guard wincing in pain during plays and even while dapping up people after games. This is likely already a prolonged injury, and it’s best if they just rest him.