NBA: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander leads Oklahoma City Thunder to victory after injury

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who returned from injury, scored 36 points as the Oklahoma City Thunder beat the Denver Nuggets 127-121 in overtime.

The NBA’s reigning MVP has been sidelined since suffering an abdominal strain on February 3 and missed nine games.

He played 34 minutes upon his return, but was left on the bench in overtime as Alex Caruso led the Thunder to their sixth win in their last eight games.

“I felt good,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “I’m just grateful to be back.”

The 27-year-old player was present from the beginning, and opened his account with a corner kick before he was called for committing an early technical foul for throwing the ball at Denver player Nikola Jokic, who contacted him after the play stopped.

Thunder forward Lojoentz Dort was later ejected for a flagrant foul after Jokic tripped, sparking a shoving match that saw Jokic and Oklahoma City’s Jaylen Williams receive technical fouls.

Caruso drove to the basket in the final seconds of regulation, but his shot bounced off the rim at the buzzer to send the game into overtime.

However, the Thunder scored the first five points in overtime, holding on to win to maintain a two-game lead over the San Antonio Spurs at the top of the Western Conference.