The Oklahoma City Thunder are still going to have to decide what to do in the long run as injuries have knocked Jalen Williams and Cason Wallace out for most, or maybe all, of this season.
But on Monday night, in their first game played without those two, the Thunder showed that they’ve got a strategy that can still win them games anyway.
It’s not going to be easy, and their 125-114 win over the Phoenix Suns also proved that. They were playing without Chet Holmgren as well, and he’s dealing with right knee tendinitis. They also lost Alex Caruso in the middle of the game to an injury.
At the start of an NBA season when injuries already seem like quite the narrative across the league, OKC is currently at the forefront. And even for the Thunder, there’s only so much one team can withstand on the injury front.
But for now, Oklahoma City has a plan. The way they used their players against Phoenix showed that.
Thunder Plan Without Jalen Williams, Cason Wallace
The absence of Holmgren and the mid-game Caruso injury skew the numbers a bit further here, but it’s pretty clear the players that will have to do more now that Williams and Wallace are out.
Jared McCain and Kenrich Williams moved into the starting lineup (although Williams was in Holmgren’s spot and would sit whenever Holmgren comes back).
They then used Jaylin Williams, Aday Mara, Bennett Stirtz and Josh Dix each for 20-plus minutes off the bench. Dix likely would’ve played less if not for the Caruso injury.
Stirtz is the most natural point guard remaining on the roster, so it was going to be fascinating to see just how much action he got without Wallace — and the answer was 25 minutes with seven points (1-6 FG, 1-4 3FG, 4-4 FT) with an assist and two turnovers.
And of course there was Ajay Mitchell, already a key player but whose offensive game in the starting lineup will have to take a step up without Jalen Williams. It did on Monday.
Ajay Mitchell Stats
Mitchell scored 30 points in just 25 minutes on Monday night.
He was 10-for-16 from the floor, including 1-for-3 from 3-point range, while making 9-of-10 free throws.
Mitchell added five assists with just one turnover. And despite battling a bit of foul trouble, he was a team-best plus-18 for the night.
There’s a chance Mitchell grows into a notable star this season with the amount of usage he’s set to get. He’s a name that Thunder fans already know, but the rest of the league could quickly become more familiar.
Thunder Make Strategy Clear After Jalen Williams, Cason Wallace Injuries