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OKC Thunder searching for answers, not sympathy, amid wave of injuries
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- OKC Thunder searching for answers, not sympathy, amid wave of injuries
DALLAS — The clock struck midnight inside American Airlines Center, and OKC's magic was nowhere to be seen.
Its locker room was mostly empty by that point, as players had already made their way to the team bus. But even when it was filled with bodies, it was void of its usual vibes. It was a somber setting following a 120-96 road loss to the Dallas Mavericks on a Wednesday night when the Thunder was severely short-handed.
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OKC was without Chet Holmgren (right knee patellar tendinitis), Jalen Williams (left ankle fracture), Cason Wallace (left shoulder labral tear), Alex Caruso (right ankle sprain), Nikola Topić (lower back surgery) and Thomas Sorber (right knee surgery). And it was facing not just emotional fatigue from the wave of injuries but physical fatigue as well, having played three games in the past four nights.
The latter could be seen when Shai Gilgeous-Alexander slowly emerged from the locker room and arrived for his postgame media availability. His knees locked for a brief moment while dropping into his seat, causing him to let out a groan. The burden of being OKC's last star standing was evident.
But, when asked how taxing the past few days have been, Gilgeous-Alexander was quick to shrug off the weight that's been placed on his shoulders.
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Oct 28, 2026; Dallas, Texas, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) dribbles as Dallas Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving (11) defends during the second half at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images
"It hasn't been anything we haven't experienced before," Gilgeous-Alexander said. "It's part of the NBA. It is what it is. Nothing more than that. I don't feel any more drained or any more tired, like it was any more taxing than any other stretch of my career. It's part of the NBA. It's early in the season. It is what it is."
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Gilgeous-Alexander's answer comes as no surprise. Admitting to vulnerability isn't an option for guys like him and teams like the Thunder. Not when the rest of the league is eager to take advantage of it.
The truth is that OKC (4-1) hasn't experienced something quite like this before, though. It hasn't lost four former All-Defensive players to injuries in the same week. It hasn't found itself leaning this heavily on rookies and two-way guys — barely signed on Friday — five games into the season.
Sympathy is saved for the injured in the eyes of Gilgeous-Alexander, which is admirable. But even when using that logic, some should be saved for the wounded Thunder. A team that's far from being at full strength.
"I've got to be better if we want to have a chance to win games," Gilgeous-Alexander instead explained after the loss.
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Gilgeous-Alexander is right about not playing his best against Dallas. He finished with 21 points, six rebounds and two assists in 28 minutes while shooting just 7 for 19 from the field (1 for 6 from deep).
But Gilgeous-Alexander of all people, someone who's invested in the intricacies of the game, shouldn't disregard the details. It has to be acknowledged that getting buckets is even more of an uphill battle without Williams, OKC's second-biggest downhill threat. That the absence of his fellow star means more scoring gravity for him.
Ajay Mitchell did his best to draw some attention away. After scoring a career-high 30 points against the Phoenix Suns on Monday, he recorded 29 points on 12-for-20 shooting from the field (2 for 5 from deep) in only 27 minutes.
Still, the shot creation problem is only solved when both guys are on the floor. OKC has a net rating of 21.81 when Gilgeous-Alexander and Mitchell are playing together this season. That drops to 0.66 when Mitchell is on the bench. And it drops to -91.27 when neither are playing.
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"I think, for me, I'm just trying to create for myself and for others," Mitchell said of his help in that department. "Obviously, I'm being aggressive and trying to attack. I'm getting in the paint and trying to find guys, find shots for myself. I think that's something I've got to keep doing and keep getting better at."
More: Ajay Mitchell infuses OKC Thunder with excitement and hope after injuries | Carlson
Oct 28, 2026; Dallas, Texas, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Ajay Mitchell (25) and Dallas Mavericks forward Zaccharie Risacher (10) go for the ball during the second half at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images
Finding answers on defense is equally challenging.
When asked during his pregame media availability to name OKC's best available point-of-attack defender, head coach Mark Daigneault didn't immediately respond.
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"Mmm-Mitchell," he eventually said in a tone more commonly used for asking questions, "is pretty good."
The next two people Daigneault named were Josh Dix and Brooks Barnhizer .
Both are on two-way deals, and both had their hands full defensively Monday. Dallas' players went a combined 9 for 14 from the field (64.3%) and 4 for 7 from deep (57.1%) when guarded by either Dix or Barnhizer.
Some of that was simply a result of tough shot making, like when PJ Washington drove into the lane during the first quarter and sank a floater while Dix blanketed him. But some of that was a result of defensive limitations, like when Barnhizer found himself on an island with Marcus Sasser during the second quarter and gave up a stepback 3-pointer. A bucket OKC could afford to overlook when at full strength but is now costly.
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Still, Mitchell didn't state the obvious when asked after the game why it was so difficult to slow Dallas down. He didn't say that OKC's top defenders, who can make the best scorers look pedestrian, were in street clothes themselves. He just credited the Mavericks instead.
"Dallas, they shot great," Mitchell said. "I think we didn't do a great job defensively throughout the whole game, and I think that's something we can fix. It's just getting back to work, watching film and seeing where we can be better. It's one game. We've got to move on and be ready for the next one."
The next one just so happens to be a road game against the Houston Rockets , who are 5-0, at 7:30 p.m. CT Saturday. They rank second in the NBA in offensive rating (122.5) and third in points per game (123) with former Thunder star Kevin Durant leading the way.
OKC will face the Cleveland Cavaliers twice after that, once on the road and once at home. They reached the Eastern Conference finals last season and are 3-1 to start the new year.
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Even the game after that is on the road against the Memphis Grizzlies , who've surpassed expectations by jumping out to a 4-0 start. And then there's the rest of the season, most of which will likely be spent without Williams and Wallace.
The difficulty speaks for itself, even if the Thunder won't echo it. It'll just look to respond with its play.
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Justin Martinez covers the Thunder and NBA for The Oklahoman. Have a story idea for Justin? He can be reached at jmartinez@oklahoman.com or on X/Twitter at @Justintohoops. Sign up for the Thunder Sports Minute newsletter to access more NBA coverage. Support Justin's work and that of other Oklahoman journalists by purchasing a digital subscription today at subscribe.oklahoman.com .
This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: OKC Thunder searching for answers, not sympathy, amid wave of injuries
