Thunder Injury Report: Eight Out vs. Timberwolves

The Thunder closed the 2020-21 season on a losing stretch that spanned over the last few months of the season. A good part of that was due to many of OKC’s key offensive options being out for an extended period of time.

For some of the players on the current roster, it’s hard to pinpoint exactly how long they’ll be out, but it’s safe to say the Thunder have been hit with an injury bug just as bad in 2021-22.

The saving grace to the injuries so far is the fact that Josh Giddey and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander are splitting time. Even though the best case scenario is for the pair to star together, as long as one of them is on the floor, Oklahoma City is so much more competitive.

Injuries are very fluctuating and statuses change daily, but as of now OKC is heading into a contest with the Timberwolves on Friday night with eight players listed as OUT on the injury report.

OKC desperately misses Giddey, along with Lu Dort sidelined with a shoulder strain and Kenrich Williams out with a knee sprain. Without them, the Thunder’s perimeter defense has fallen off. OKC gave up a 40 point quarter to the Kings Monday night that ended up costing the game.

Mike Muscala, Derrick Favors and Jeremiah Robinson-Earl are all still unavailable, making the Thunder’s depth at post shaky at best. OKC has relied heavily and Darius Bazley and two-way player Oliver Sarr in the past few contests. It’s unclear when Robinson-Earl will return from his right foot fracture. For Muscala and Favors, it’s unclear if the veterans will help the Thunder on the floor post All-Star break.

The last two players checking in on the injury report are Aaron Wiggins and Ty Jerome. Wiggins is expected to miss some time with an ankle injury he sprained once again against Sacramento. Jerome, like Giddey, has missed the last few weeks with hip soreness.

With so many players out, Oklahoma City has had to rely on G League guys like Vit Krejci, Lindy Waters and Olivier Sarr to play heavy minutes. While the Thunder obviously miss the multitude of players out, it’s been fun for fans to see some fresh faces. Poku’s rejuvenated second half and Isaiah Roby’s 26-point performance are two highlights of the last few weeks.

Gilgeous-Alexander has also found his shooting stroke from deep again and taken the reigns of the offense. It’s a perfect time for SGA to regain that comfortability as Giddey nurses his hip injury.

The Thunder, down eight players, will take on Minnesota in OKC on Friday night at 7 p.m.

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