The Oklahoma City Thunder’s injury situation has clearly dominated headlines for the early portion of the Thunder’s season.
After spending most of last week grieving and processing the significant injuries to three starters, the team suffered back-to-back uncharacteristic blowout losses. It looks like the Thunder are beginning to turn the page and look to build on the momentum established over the last few days.
Oklahoma City has stabilized, winning four straight games, including back-to-back wins over Cleveland and blowouts over Memphis and Washington.
OKC Winners and Losers
Winner: Ajay Mitchell
While Oklahoma City’s health isn’t ideal and has forced a mindset shift, their new reality on the floor has begun to sink in, including the rise of Ajay Mitchell as the No. 2 option.
Coming into this season, Mitchell was expected to be among the leading candidates for Sixth Man of the Year and Most Improved Player.
In the seven games since Oklahoma City lost three starters, Mitchell has averaged 22.1 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 3.2 assists, shooting 55.3% from the floor. That stretch includes two 30-point games, a career-high 35 points against the Memphis Grizzlies, and another three 20-point games.
Mitchell’s leap to the No. 2 option has been seamless, giving the Thunder a much-needed boost as they navigate these injuries.
Mark Daigneault on Ajay Mitchell taking on a larger role: “We just try to listen to what the guys are telling us instead of constantly predicting all that stuff.”
While he’s still settling into his role as the second option, the foundation and pathway to stardom are there for Mitchell. While injuries are an unfortunate part of the game, they can still lead to positive outcomes, and Mitchell has been a perfect case of that thus far.
Winner: The Rookies
Oklahoma City’s rookies continue to be a highlight of the early season, with both of their recent first-round picks, Aday Mara (No. 12 pick) and Bennett Stirtz (No. 16 pick), playing positive stretches of basketball this early as rookies.
Outside of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Stirtz has been one of the few Thunder players to be a positive from deep. The rookie has hit 16 of 36 from deep and has shooting splits of 47.1/44.4/90.9.
Stirtz has quickly settled in as a shooter for the Thunder early in the season, has made multiple threes in each of the last five games, and has shown flashes as a secondary handler as well, which is needed given the injuries to the roster.
Mara has really popped early this season, improving game by game, averaging 8.1 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 1.9 blocks on 62.5% shooting in 19.7 minutes a game, inserting his presence on both ends. He has started two of their last three games. He made his first career three-pointer, topping off the best game of his young career thus far in his latest game, finishing with 18 points on 8-of-10 shooting from the floor, eight rebounds, three assists, and three blocks, and plenty of stifling defense in the paint.
Oklahoma City has closed games with both on the court, giving them crucial experience right out of the gate. While the Thunder would rather have their stars healthy, developing these young players is a silver lining.
Winner: Jared McCain Offensive Versatility
Jared McCain has been up-and-down from deep through the first ten games after a blazing season-opener, knocking down 6-of-8 from deep. McCain then went through a cold spell, missing 16 consecutive 3-pointers in the last two games before flipping to hit 5-of-12.
While McCain has been streaky from deep, 17-for-57 (29%), he has made his impact in the midrange (50%) and at the rim (71%). He showed his presence as a scorer.
McCain would follow up with two of his best games of the season overall, finishing with 21 points on 9-of-14 shooting from the floor, five rebounds, and four steals in 29 minutes against Memphis, and putting up 19 points on 8-of-10 shooting from the floor, five rebounds, and two assists in 23 minutes against Washington.
McCain will continue to be needed not only as a three-point shooter but as a secondary creator this season, given the Thunder’s lack of perimeter shooting personnel.
Loser: The Thunder’s Reaching Their Ceiling
Coming into the season, Oklahoma City’s identity was shifting toward a more offensively slanted approach in its quest to win its second championship in three years. Now, having lost both Jalen Williams and Cason Wallace likely for the entire season, and Chet Holmgren for a significant period, the question most will ask is: what if?
The Thunder’s margin for error has obviously dwindled, and there will be stretches where Oklahoma City looks lethargic. Contenders take full advantage, having lost huge chunks of their personnel.
The Thunder hold an 8-2 record to start the season. The clear loser in the early portion of this season is Oklahoma City, which has lost its chance to maximize its potential, especially given the financial implications ahead for this roster.
Main Image: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images
