Chet Holmgren and the Oklahoma City Thunder enter Monday’s game against the Memphis Grizzlies with an extended injury report. After coach Mark Daigneault’s starting lineup made its regular-season debut in an NBA Cup semifinals loss to the San Antonio Spurs, he hasn’t had a healthy starting five since, which will continue into Monday’s matchup, as Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein are ruled out. Still, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is confident in the Thunder.
The reigning MVP believes his team will bounce back from a pair of losses in its last three games. The shorthanded Thunder will face the Grizzlies without Holmgren, Hartenstein, Jaylin Williams, and Ousmane Dieng, as the four bigs were all ruled out. Alex Caruso and Aaron Wiggins are considered questionable on the Thunder’s injury report.
Lu Dort and Cason Wallace will likely start as part of Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault’s small-ball approach, which is typical when one of his starting bigs is ruled out. Amid Thunder forward Chet Holmgren’s questionable-to-out status due to an illness, Daigneault would most likely turn to either Kenrich Williams or Branden Carlson to start at center. All-Star Jalen Williams will also spent time at the five.
The Grizzlies enter the Paycom Center coming off a 130-122 loss to the Washington Wizards. Ja Morant is ruled out with a left ankle sprain.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander isn’t concerned about Thunder losses
Bruce Kluckhohn-Imagn Images
Thunder All-Star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander knows his team will bounce back from Friday’s 112-107 loss to the Timberwolves. While it was rare to see the 25-3 Thunder surrender two losses in one week, Gilgeous-Alexander is confident in his team’s resilience, which has shone through adversity in the past.
“We’ve been here before. We’ve won tough games on the road. We’ve played amazing on the road and blew a team out. We’ve been in almost every situation a team can be in, especially in the past couple of years,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “When you have that under your belt, you know how to act in situations. And we just grow with time, as we should. Use these experiences for lessons and get better from them.”
The Thunder will face the Grizzlies on the first night of a home/away back-to-back, ending against the Spurs on Tuesday.