The Oklahoma City Thunder remain in the Western Conference play-in race, but they will need to get by for the time being without franchise star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. The Canadian has missed the last two games due to an ankle and abdomen injury, but now, SGA is also heading into the league's health and safety protocols, as reported by Joe Mussatto.

Gilgeous-Alexander really can't catch a break lately. Not only is he hurt, but the All-Star is sick, too. He's actually the first Thunder player to go into protocols in 2022-23. It's unknown how long SGA could be out, but it's clear OKC needs him.

Marc Daigneault's squad has lost all three contests since the All-Star break but still remains just one game behind the New Orleans Pelicans for that final play-in spot. As we all know, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is on absolute fire this season, truly proving he's one of the best players in this league.

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The 24-year-old is averaging 31 points, 5.7 assists, and 4.7 rebounds per night, ranking fifth in the Association in scoring. No matter the opponent, Shai is carrying the Thunder. He's also playing a whopping 35.5 minutes per contest, therefore it's not exactly surprising his body is getting run down.

While no one believed OKC would even be in the play-in mix, they still have a legitimate shot of locking down a top-10 spot. However, it'll come down to how healthy Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is during the stretch run. The Thunder are back in action Tuesday against the Sacramento Kings, who beat them on Sunday. Matchups with the Lakers and Jazz in back-to-back games follow later this week.