The NBA season is back and in full swing. The Oklahoma City Thunder is set to open their season in the Windy City as they take on the Chicago Bulls. This marks the beginning of a season that'll be full of the Thunder defining themselves and setting their own ceiling.
Starting off against the Bulls, the Thunder defense will see a good test, as the Bulls are capable of getting hot and stringing together plenty of points. The addition of Chet Holmgren will raise the ceiling's defense and the rest of the squad was quite solid last year, even without a rim protector.
Injury Report:
Thunder:
- Kenrich Williams, OUT (Back Spasms)
- Jaylin Williams, OUT (Hamstring Strain)
Bulls:
- Lonzo Ball, OUT (Knee)
The most notable thing about the Thunder injury report is Aleksej Pokusevski's return. Mark Daigneault had detailed during the preseason that Pokusevski's ankle was healing nicely and faster than expected, though he hasn't been able to play in any live games ahead of the season opener. His impact will be needed with Jaylin Williams and Kenrich Williams out.
The Bulls are fully healthy with the exception of Lonzo Ball, who is done for the season with lingering knee issues. It's sad to see, but it's good for the Bulls that they enter the season with no other injuries.
Updated Odds:
The Thunder is 2.5-point underdogs to the Bulls. While the Bulls roster has been mediocre in past seasons in terms of production, they've got some continuity and an offense that's capable of going.
For the Thunder, the team is unknown. They're seeing continuity from the 40-42 season last year, but this time around, they're adding Holmgren to the lineup. Their depth, even with injuries, shouldn't be much of an issue and their defensive should be reliable. This feels like one where the Thunder can take care of business as underdogs.
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