The Oklahoma City Thunder will continue to be without their backup center Jaylin Williams for the second straight game.
Jaylin Williams is ruled out for Friday’s NBA Cup matchup against the Memphis Grizzlies due to low back spasms.
Thunder Remains Shorthanded On The Frontcourt
This is his second consecutive game missed, having also sat out the Thunder’s win against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Nov. 4.
His absence leaves Oklahoma City even more shorthanded in the frontcourt alongside other key sidelined players like Chet Holmgren and Jalen Williams.
Holmgren is sidelined for at least 8 to 10 weeks while undergoing biological treatments to recover from a right knee patellar tendon tear.
The team’s backcourt and wing depth took catastrophic hits in late October, as star forward Jalen Williams underwent major leg surgery to repair a fractured left fibula and reconstruct ankle ligaments, while guard Cason Wallace had surgery to mend a torn labrum in his left shoulder.
Williams and Wallace, who are core rotation pieces, will miss most, if not all, of the regular season and are slated for re-evaluation near its conclusion.
In addition to their primary stars, Nikola Topic (low back surgery recovery) and Thomas Sorber (right knee surgery recovery) remain unavailable, completely straining the team’s depth across the board.
The Thunder have won the past two games, beating the Cavaliers in Cleveland and OKC for two straight outings.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has taken on a heavy offensive load to keep the Thunder afloat after that massive wave of injuries. He scored more than 40 points in the last two games.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Explains Thunder’s Mentality Amid Injuries
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is keeping himself stoic amid the Thunder’s injury woes.
“I mean, it’s been challenging, but it always is when adversity hits. Emotions set in and things like that, and they can be distracting. But I’ve been who I’ve been,” he said.
SGA, the MVP of the last two seasons, added that he is not changing much of his mental work, despite the woes.
“I don’t feel like I’ve changed much. I guess that’s more of a question for the other guys. I haven’t noticed much of a change,” he said.
SGA is also banking on rookies Ben Stirtz and Aday Mara to fill the void left by the injured players as they hope to hold the fort while dealing with massive health issues.
“They’re getting better with every experience, and that’s what the whole 82-game season is about,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “No matter what circumstances you’re thrown in, the ability to use the circumstances you’re in to get better and improve from it is all you can ask for as a competitor. And those guys have had a great mindset, and they’ve done so. They’re showing their improvement pretty [fast]. It’s impressive.”
Stirtz was particularly impressive for Shai.
“He’s very mature. Ben has a really good head on his shoulders,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “Feels like he’s almost my age out there, and off the court as well. He’s pretty mature for his age. Smart kid. I’m not surprised by his ability to adapt and play in the circumstances. He knows what it takes, putting the work in, and he’s reaping the rewards.”
For now, SGA is hoping other players will step up in games that matter most.
Bad News Continues For OKC Thunder As Jaylin Williams Remains Out