Injuries, which have been the theme of the season for the Oklahoma City Thunder, were hit with critical news. Despite the All-Star break, they remain without three of their most important players in a crucial stretch.
On February 19th, the Thunder announced that Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Ajay Mitchell would be re-evaluated in approximately one week with an abdominal strain. Mitchell is also dealing with an ankle sprain. SGA has now missed seven consecutive games because of it. Mitchell has missed 13 straight.
And, to add more insult to an already injury-riddled season, Jalen Williams would be re-evaluated in approximately two weeks after re-aggravating his hamstring. Unfortunately, he’s already missed 11 games due to a hamstring strain.
The Thunder have already played two games without the trio and will be without them for at least two more games. And without Williams for at least six more games. Which comes at a costly time with what’s at stake.
Let’s delve into the five ways the massive injury updates could affect the Thunder.
How Injuries Could Affect the Thunder
Home Court Throughout the Playoffs
The Thunder no longer have the best win percentage in the NBA. Two up-and-coming teams are right on their tracks. Sounds familiar? The Detroit Pistons and San Antonio Spurs see a golden opportunity, as both young squads have broken out onto the scene and been blessed with good injury luck — something Oklahoma City hasn’t had quite as fortunate in back-to-back seasons.
Let’s talk about Detroit. The Thunder are in legitimate danger of falling behind the Pistons record-wise. They have more wins, but Detroit has the better win percentage. It’s a strong possibility that it won’t remain the case, with the Thunder in the Western Conference and having the second-toughest remaining strength of schedule, and Detroit in the Eastern Conference with the seventh-toughest remaining strength of schedule.
Factor in the Pistons catching the Thunder at a tough time with no SGA, Williams, or Mitchell, as the two will match up for the first time this season on February 25th. What could’ve been a possible NBA Finals preview has now become a prime opportunity for Detroit to build some distance on the NBA’s best record.
While we’re still a long way away from a potential NBA Finals matchup, the possibility of OKC not being the top seed after a historic start seemed laughable. The Thunder understands the importance of homecourt, having won two Game 7s on its floor last postseason to capture its first-ever championship.
Securing the 1st Seed in the West
Now let’s dive into a spicy race. After a historic 24-1 start, everyone pretty much wrote the Thunder in as the one seed. But a series of injuries and an underwhelming couple of months have just about evaporated their lead, leaving the Spurs now in the rear-view mirror in the standings. And with the recent massive injury updates, expect a wild finish in the final weeks.
The Thunder only has a three-game lead over the Spurs. Factor in them owning the tiebreaker after winning the season series 4-1, which adds even more pressure.
As previously mentioned, OKC has the second-toughest remaining strength of schedule, while San Antonio has the eighth-toughest remaining strength of schedule. The Spurs, who have won eight in a row, have the chance to overtake them in the standings. While there are over twenty remaining, the first seed is no longer for certain. Injuries have opened the door for the Thunder to lose the one seed after many thought they could become the third team in NBA history to win 70 games.
Shift in the MVP Race
Now, looking at this situation from an optimistic point of view, the bright side of SGA’s abdominal strain is that the timing bought him a week. The All-Star break came at the perfect time, which allowed him to recover from the injury without costing him games.
If SGA returns by his re-evaluation date, he’ll have missed 11 games. Now, consider the 65-game rule, which means he can only miss six more games the rest of the way to be eligible for the major awards.
Personally believe that SGA is the clear frontrunner at the moment. Let’s quickly talk about the other candidates. Nikola Jokic can only miss one more game before being disqualified. Luka Doncic can only miss four more games. Victor Wembanyama can only miss two more as well.
Opening the door for Cade Cunningham, who has been the main driving force in Detroit’s turnaround. And Jaylen Brown, who nobody expected Boston to be the second-seed at this point, is having a career year. Despite the incredible seasons these two are having, neither is having the season SGA is having, as he’s once again having one of the greatest scoring seasons ever on the first seed.
Jalen Williams Regaining All-NBA Form for the 2025-26 Season
Unfortunately, time is running out for
Williams. The Thunder will only have 18 games left at its re-evaluation date. And that’s if he returns in two weeks — which is seriously in question.
Williams has only played 26 games. Unable to gain a rhythm. Being in-and-out of the lineup has not only thrown off his timing but also his team’s timing and their roles. It’s been a brutal season, as injuries have plagued him.
The Thunder’s back-to-back title hopes rely on the health of Williams. Minor hiccups in the regular season are manageable. But dealing with lingering injuries that have consistently kept him off the court for the majority of the season is not ideal. Expecting him to regain his form and perform at an All-NBA level right away, given how stop-and-go his season has been, is a very tough ask.
Title Hopes
Last year, the Thunder clinched the one seed on March 20th, 2025. An even crazier feat is that the one seed was clinched before any other team clinched a playoff spot. This year, they likely won’t have that luxury.
Prepare and expect a close finish between the Thunder and Spurs. The reigning champs may not secure the one seed for the first time during this iteration. How they respond in the midst of adversity will be fascinating to watch.
Securing the one seed will be crucial for the Thunder’s back-to-back title hopes. Obviously, health is the bigger concern over the one seed, because a healthy Thunder squad that likes its chances to win the championship, no matter the seed.
However, not only would falling to the two-seed put OKC at a greater disadvantage, but the road to winning the Finals would also become even more difficult.
The Thunder could face Stephen Curry in a first-round playoff matchup. And if they advance, a second-round rematch with the Denver Nuggets seems to be in store. Then they could face Wemby and the Spurs in the Conference Finals without home-court advantage, and we all know how important that is. That would be quite the gauntlet for OKC to overcome.
Main Image: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images
