The Oklahoma City Thunder made easy work of the Milwaukee Bucks, 122-102, at Fiserv Forum on Wednesday. The win, however, could prove to be costly after Ajay Mitchell was forced to exit the game in the second half.
The Thunder were already undermanned against the Bucks, as they played without Jalen Williams, Isaiah Hartenstein, Alex Caruso, Aaron Wiggins, Jaylin Williams, Thomas Sorber, and Nikola Topic.
Mitchell was having a strong game when he sustained a hip injury at the end of the third quarter after driving to the rim. The Thunder later announced that he would be out for the remainder of the contest.
Ajay Mitchell (right hip contusion) is OUT for the remainder of tonight's game against the Bucks, the Thunder announced. pic.twitter.com/dbHxcOaw3J
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) January 22, 2026
Mitchell finished with 18 points on 8-of-12 shooting, three rebounds, two assists, and two steals in a spot start.
The Thunder improved to 37-8, including 17-5 on the road.
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It remains unclear if Mitchell will be sidelined in the coming days. Fortunately for the defending champions, they have enough depth to maintain their standing.
The 23-year-old sophomore has been a revelation for OKC, ably stepping up when J-Dub was out in the first few weeks of the season. He is averaging 14.1 points, 3.5 rebounds, 3.7 assists, and 1.4 steals in just 26.3 minutes per game. He has even supplanted Wiggins and Isaiah Joe in the depth chart.
The former standout from Santa Barbara is another example that the Thunder can spot a diamond in the rough. The team acquired Mitchell in a four-team deal on draft day after the New York Knicks selected him as the 38th overall pick.
The Thunder will face the Indiana Pacers on Friday.