What started as a routine preseason tune-up turned into a night of concern for the Oklahoma City Thunder. A pair of injuries, one to Isaiah Joe and another to Ajay Mitchell, overshadowed the team’s 116-101 loss to the Indiana Pacers on Sunday in Indianapolis.
Joe’s night ended early when his knee buckled awkwardly in the opening quarter. Then, in his preseason debut, Mitchell scored 16 points before rolling his ankle late in the first half. He did not return.
None of Oklahoma City’s starters made the trip to Indy.
Short-Handed Thunder Struggle to Keep Pace
With both Mitchell and Cason Wallace sitting out the second half, Oklahoma City had just seven available players. The offense sputtered, managing only 17 points in the third quarter as several Exhibit 10 players logged extended minutes.
Still, Chris Youngblood provided a bright spot for OKC, leading all scorers with 25 points. Wallace, who avoided injury, chipped in 17 minutes of action and a highlight drive to the rim in the first half.
Next Stop: Milwaukee
Oklahoma City will have little time to recover before heading north for its next preseason contest. The Thunder face the Milwaukee Bucks on Tuesday night, with just two preseason games remaining before the regular season begins.