Lengthy Injury Report Gives Aaron Wiggins Opportunity to Shine

Oklahoma City will be without many main contributors, but one player could get a golden opportunity.

On Wednesday, the Thunder won in Memphis 120-103 to cap off a stretch of eight games in seven cities in 13 days. The win pushed the Thunder to 51-11 and has helped them maintain a 10-game lead atop the Western Conference.

After such a grueling stretch, the Thunder will get some much-needed relief on Friday. Going into Friday’s matchup against the Portland Trail Blazers, the Thunder have a lengthy injury report. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams, Isaiah Hartenstein, Lu Dort and Cason Wallace will all be out, with Chet Holmgren’s status up in the air.

While Gilgeous-Alexander is the only player officially listed as resting, this is likely a well-deserved night off for the others on the list. However, the Thunder will still have their fourth-leading scorer on the floor against Portland.

Aaron Wiggins headlines the Thunder players that are officially a go for Friday’s contest, and he could be in for a big game. Wiggins is the only Thunder player to play in every game this season and is set to continue his streak in this matchup.

Averaging 11.5 points per game, Wiggins has been an occasional starter for the Thunder, getting 19 in his first 62 tries. Almost certainly getting the starting nod tonight, Wiggins might also get the green light and be the top offensive option for Oklahoma City.

While the Thunder have shown their usual dominance throughout the past month, almost no other players have been as impactful as Wiggins since the start of February. Beginning the month with a career-high 41 points against the Kings, Wiggins has averaged 17.8 points in his last 16 games while shooting 53.5% from the field and 47.9% from three.

With the Thunder’s top creators on the bench, Wiggins’ usage could be at an all-time high. There will plenty of shots to go around, and with Wiggins’ scoring uptick over the past several weeks, the Blazers could game plan around stopping him.

That means Wiggins could also show off his improved playmaking along with his scoring ability. While it’s unlikely Wiggins has another 40-point night or even leads the Thunder to a win, this game gives him the opportunity to showcase his skills amid the best stretch of his NBA career.

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