Thunder Desperately Searching for Early Season Momentum

Oklahoma City’s 2022-23 season carried a sense of joy and optimism that shouldn’t surround a team supposedly in the midst of a tank job. But after the Thunder’s draft additions and Summer League stint, vibes were ridiculously high in OKC.

Fast forward a few months to October, and Oklahoma City is welcoming the Clippers to town, winless, and without Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Josh Giddey, Chet Holmgren and Jalen Williams. Imagine reading that sentence in July.

Obviously out of that group, Holmgren’s injury is by far the biggest and most serious blow now and longterm. Gilgeous-Alexander, Giddey and Williams seem to be day-to-day at this point, leaving room for light at the end of the tunnel. But the point still remains: Oklahoma City’s best players missing the home stretch on the season’s opening week is no fun.

Gilgeous-Alexander, Williams and Holmgren missed the home-opener last week, while Giddey twisted his ankle during the game. It's a bummer for talented players to miss any game, but adds an extra layer of gloom when it's the first game in front of a home crowd.

Thunder fans should be thankful for management like Sam Presti, though, and the overarching direction that the Thunder always keeps in mind. OKC has proven to never push injuries, allowing players plenty of time to rest and get healthy. It’s the smart thing to do, especially with a team full of talented youngsters here for the foreseeable future.

But now, with two tough games on the schedule looming, Oklahoma City needs momentum badly. Both the team and the fanbase need energy and something to get excited about, even without the stars suiting up. Both Tuesday and Thursday could be great opportunities to showcase depth and developed talent across the board.

Momentum for the Thunder this week wouldn’t need to equate to wins either. Oklahoma City can generate positive momentum even in tough fought battles as long as the development is showing. Whether that means a Tre Mann 30-point performance, an Aleksej Pokusevski triple-double or and Ousmane Dieng introduction game, it couldn’t come at a better time.

It's been a devastating past few months for Thunder fans, and recent nagging injuries surely won't help. Breakout performances, or maybe even an upset win against a shorthanded Clippers team, would go a long way in helping lift Oklahoma City's confidence.

Want to join the discussion? Like SI Thunder on Facebook and follow us on Twitter to stay up to date on all the latest Thunder news. You can also meet the team behind the coverage.

Add us as a preferred source on Google