OKC Thunder's Loss of Ajay Mitchell Is Cushioned by Depth

The Thunder might be down a key player, but OKC's guards are capable of stepping up in his place.

May 22, 2026; San Antonio, Texas, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Alex Caruso (9) shoots the ball against the San Antonio Spurs in the first half during game three of the western conference finals for the 2026 NBA playoffs at Frost Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Scott Wachter-Imagn Images | Scott Wachter-Imagn Images

There's no need to lose hope for Game 4.

The Oklahoma City Thunder are preparing to take on the San Antonio Spurs in Game 4 of the Western Conference Finals on Sunday night. OKC has been hot lately, as they have won two straight games, and are now leading the series 2-1. However, a bump in the road has appeared before Game 4 has even begun. 

Thunder guard Ajay Mitchell left Game 3 in the third quarter due to injury and has now been officially ruled out of Game 4 due to a calf strain. This is quite the blow to OKC, considering that Jalen Williams' fate for Game 4 is still up in the air. 

Mitchell has averaged over 15 points for Oklahoma City this postseason and has been a key factor in multiple wins to get the Thunder to the point they are at now. While his presence will be missed in the game, it isn’t exactly the end of the world for this Thunder squad. 

The Thunder have the luxury of having so many high-level backcourt players on their team that the next man up has the potential to play just as well, and even better. Of course, you have Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to help carry most of the offensive load, as the two-time MVP rarely has a game where he doesn’t shine. However, OKC’s bench has been playing above its pay grade recently, and the Thunder are hoping it can continue this trend. 

Veteran guard Alex Caruso has led the charge in the conference finals, as he is averaging 21 points per game in the series. Caruso has come alive in the past three games and always seems to be at the right place at the right time for the OKC squad. 

Another guard who has stepped up his game is Jared McCain. McCain was acquired at the trade deadline this season and has proved every step of the way that Oklahoma City made the right move. McCain had 24 points in Game 3 and played late in the game due to the absence of Mitchell. With him gone once again, McCain will have to put on another stellar performance. 

Finally, Cason Wallace is always someone you can trust as well. Wallace was recently named to the NBA All-Defensive Second Team and has even been a hot hand on the perimeter recently for OKC. Wallace is averaging a little over 10 points per game this series and has hit some big threes to help open up Thunder runs down the stretch. Not to mention, he has been a nightmare for every San Antonio guard he has come across. 

While losing Mitchell is definitely not what OKC would like to see in this situation, the fact still remains that the Thunder are still very equipped to go out and win Game 4.