The Oklahoma City Thunder are looking to continue their run of good form, though it's slightly subpar to their standard, as their overall defensive prowess has had some slippage as of late.
Still, with a 51-11 record, the Thunder have been among the league's best, though they will be shorthanded on Friday as they host the Portland Trail Blazers.
The team wasted no time revealing that Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams, Lu Dort, Cason Wallace and Isaiah Hartenstein would be missing the game due to rest, though some of the players have injuries attached to their availability report.
The NBA schedule is grueling, so this was no surprise. However, Chet Holmgren was listed as questionable with a leg contusion.
Given Holmgren's injury history in his young career, it makes sense for Oklahoma City to be cautious. They listed him as questionable when the rest of the team's rotation was ruled out.
Daigneault makes Holmgren announcement before Thunder-Trail Blazers
Before the contest, Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault made a statement regarding Holmgren's availability.
"Mark Daigneault said Chet Holmgren is out tonight," Almanza shared on X.
Mark Daigneault said Chet Holmgren is out tonight
— Clemente Almanza (@CAlmanza1007) March 7, 2025
The news comes as the Thunder will be without their top seven players, meaning they will have to dig into their rotation. Keep an eye on players like Aaron Wiggins and Ousmane Dieng to step into much larger roles with the rest of the squad getting a night off.
Given the club's superb record, they can afford a night off against a Trail Blazers team with a 28-25 record, as they've been a much-improved squad as of late.
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This story was originally published March 7, 2025 at 5:30 PM.