The Oklahoma City Thunder is in Los Angeles to take on the struggling 2-8 Clippers on Friday night.
Losing two games in a row, the Thunder looks to get back in the win column after dropping a pair of games in as many nights to the Portland Trail Blazers, who rose to fifth in the Western Conference after Wednesday’s 118-108 victory.
The Thunder stands as the most injured team in basketball less than one month into the regular season. While multiple key names are expected to be sidelined indefinitely, Oklahoma City will get a key name back for Friday’s contest.
Young Thunder Star Set to Rejoin Team, Make Season Debut
The Thunder announced a long injury report ahead of Friday’s game in Los Angeles, with former lottery pick Nikola Topic originally listed as out due to being on a G League assignment. Topic, 21, has dealt with major adversity since being drafted in 2024 but is set to make his season debut tonight, according to USA Today’s Justin Martinez.
“The OKC Thunder has recalled Nikola Topić from the G League, clearing the way for him to make his season debut in a road game against the Los Angeles Clippers at 9:30 p.m. CST Friday,” Martinez reported Friday.
Martinez also noted the many hurdles — to put it softly — Topic has faced in his young NBA career.
“It’s a big step for Topic, 21, who has faced numerous setbacks to begin his NBA career. After being selected by OKC with the No. 12 pick in the 2024 draft, he missed all of his first season due to a partially torn ACL in his left knee. He was then diagnosed with testicular cancer in October 2025, and he completed chemotherapy in January before playing in 10 games last season. Topic then underwent a successful minimally invasive lumbar microdiscectomy procedure in June. He was originally expected to be ready for the start of training camp, but he missed all five of OKC’s preseason games and has yet to play this regular season.”
OKC’s Injury Report Still as Long as Ever
Getting Topic back should give the Thunder another quality ball-handler behind superstar guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and, if he plays, Ajay Mitchell, the Thunder’s 24-year-old ascending star.
Mitchell, who suffered a sprained ankle in Tuesday’s blowout loss to the Blazers, is listed as questionable for tonight’s game. Here is the Thunder’s full injury report for Friday’s contest against the Clippers.
- G Ajay Mitchell (ankle) Questionable
- F Jaylin Williams (back) OUT
- C Chet Holmgren (knee) OUT
- F Jalen Williams (ankle) OUT
- G Cason Wallace (shoulder) OUT
- C Thomas Sorber (knee) OUT
If Mitchell returns to the lineup tonight, the Thunder would welcome back two playmaking options who could help alleviate some of the defensive pressure applied against Gilgeous-Alexander, who is among the frontrunners for the NBA MVP award. The 28-year-old Gilgeous-Alexander, the reigning back-to-back league MVP, has been left to shoulder a burdensome load amid a litany of Thunder injuries.
With Topic available tonight, the Thunder will have one more potentially impactful player to turn to as the team seeks to snap its two-game skid.
OKC Thunder Announce Injury Return of Young Star After Losing 2 Straight Games