Out with injury, it seems Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s MVP chances are plummeting, with other candidates taking advantage of his missed time. Despite leading the top of the KIA MVP Ladder by the end of the All-Star Break, it does seem that his chances of winning are getting slimmer by the day.

Nikola Jokic was out for quite some time, and SGA definitely failed to capitalize on that. However, the Thunder star’s absence is surely felt as they finished with a 42-14 record before the break. That’s a number slightly worse than last year’s 44-10 record, but considering that they are the defending champions, expectations are definitely higher than ever.

Before he went down with an injury, SGA was averaging 31.8 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 6.4 assists. He’s also inches away from the 50/40/90 splits–currently at 55.4% field goal percentage, 39% shooting from three, and 89.2% from the charity stripe. These are all bigger numbers than his previous season, where he won the MVP.

Since missing out on the final four games for OKC, including the All-Star Game, SGA has managed to remain at the top of the MVP race. In that stretch, however, the Thunder have gone 2-2 and even suffered tough losses that were actually winnable ones. However, it remained clear that they needed the break, and they missed the playmaking and scoring threat that Gilgeous-Alexander offered.

SGA is Still Having an Historic Season

Just like how historic the Thunder are when it comes to their defense, SGA is also having a majestic MVP season for the ages. Aside from coming up with historic shooting splits and his impressive stat line, SGA also has his 20-point game streak alive at 121. This is an absurd feat, considering that the most for this record is held by no other than Wilt Chamberlain, which says a lot about how hard it is to achieve.

It’s also aligned with SGA’s brand of consistency. Not even the likes of LeBron James, Michael Jordan, or the late Kobe Bryant touch close. That’s some historic piece that no one can replicate. After all, if it were easy, everyone would be doing it. Considering how consistent Gilgeous-Alexander is with his game, this shouldn’t be something new for fans.

For what it's worth, SGA himself has been one of the biggest revelations in the NBA in recent years. From being a laid-back player in the Clippers roster, into one of the shining faces of the league and the reigning MVP, this says a lot about his status as a star. Sure, he’s accompanied by stars in Chet Holmgren and Jalen Williams, but neither of the two can carry OKC to bigger heights than SGA ever would.

The fact that Oklahoma City becomes a different team whenever Shai sits out says a lot about his importance. Much like what we see when he sits on the bench, the Thunder become disoriented, as if they could not run the whole offense. With J-Dub missing time with another injury and Ajay Mitchell getting his Six-Man Of The Year Award derailed by being on the sidelines, SGA’s absence is felt more than ever.

The MVP is SGA’s to Lose This Season

Shai is the MVP favorite right from the start of the season. That remains the same as of the time of writing, and it cannot be denied that there are high expectations on his side. The fact that OKC is still at the top of the West despite all their injuries says a lot about SGA’s importance.

In fact, the Thunder stand with a 4-3 record without him so far, and a promising 38-11 whenever he plays. That’s essentially the winning impact that no one should ignore at this point. Now more than ever, SGA’s return is an essential factor to watch out for, and he has to make up for lost time to win the MVP at this point.