OKC Thunder’s Injury-Ridden Experiences Will Contribute to Playoff Success

Oklahoma City hasn’t had the picture perfect season that the team’s record would suggest. It has been a season of challenge and growth, both individual growth and growth as a team, that has led the Thunder to this point. And some of that growth might not have taken place without the hardships.

The Thunder started the season without Jaylin Williams, Kenrich Williams, and Isaiah Hartenstein, and unfortunately, those three injuries were a sign of things to come over the course of the season. Luckily for the Thunder, there have been no season-ending injuries, and the team’s MVP candidate has had a clean bill of health. Chet Holmgren’s injury was the most significant, as the Thunder’s rising star missed a handful of months.

Holmgren has returned to his former form, though, and the injured trio from the preseason is now healed. Oklahoma City has played a handful of games with its full strength lineup, but what they’ve been able to do with players in street clothes has been impressive to say the least.

And now, as the season winds down, Oklahoma City is dealing with short handed lineups once again. Lu Dort, Jalen Williams, and Cason Wallace are all dealing with minor, nagging injuries. Alex Caruso, who is healthy at the moment, has also missed a good chunk of time with similar injuries. Oklahoma City is once again putting lineups together on the fly and figuring out how to play as a team with guys in and out of the lineup — and as the season has shown, that might not be such a bad thing.

The injuries haven’t effected Oklahoma City’s ability to win basketball games — a 56-12 overall record is a testament to that statement. Rather, the injuries have given other players a chance to step up, and has taught the Thunder how to play short handed. Oklahoma City has relied on so many different players and used so many different lineups throughout the season, and in turn, they’ll be prepared for anything thrown their way in the postseason.

Oklahoma City has had to play valuable stretches without Hartenstein and Holmgren. They have also had to play with multiple second-scoring options, as Williams has missed a few games here and there. The injuries have allowed for growth and valuable minutes for players like Jaylin Williams, Kenrich Williams, Aaron Wiggins, and even someone like Isaiah Joe.

This Thunder team is deep, and with the injuries throughout the lineup, players have been featured in unique lineups and different roles. Oklahoma City is better prepared to make changes on the fly and adjust the rotation as necessary.

Of course, in a perfect world, a clean bill of health would be ideal. But the NBA is strategy, roster building, and a little bit of injury luck. Oklahoma City is doing its best to shrink the variables.