The Oklahoma City Thunder are wrapping up their four-game road trip Wednesday night in Milwaukee, and they’re doing it with a roster that’s been stretched about as thin as it gets. After rolling into Cleveland on Martin Luther King Jr. Day with just 10 available players-and still walking away with a blowout win-Mark Daigneault’s squad is once again preparing to go to battle short-handed.
Injuries continue to pile up for the Thunder. Alex Caruso, who exited Monday’s win with a right adductor strain, has already been ruled out.
Jaylin Williams, who also left that game early, is listed as questionable with a left glute contusion. Meanwhile, Jalen Williams and Isaiah Hartenstein remain sidelined, leaving OKC’s depth chart looking more like a puzzle than a rotation.
It’s not just the Thunder dealing with health concerns. The Bucks are navigating their own injury issues ahead of Wednesday’s clash. Myles Turner is questionable with a left ankle sprain, Kevin Porter Jr. is also questionable due to an oblique strain, and Taurean Prince will miss the game with a neck injury.
But if the Thunder’s performance in Cleveland is any indication, they’re not in the business of making excuses. Despite the injuries, despite the limited bench, and despite facing a Cavs team with size and talent, OKC came out swinging-and never let up.
“We had only Chet in the frontcourt,” Daigneault said postgame, referencing rookie center Chet Holmgren’s solo presence among the bigs. “So we played small for a lot of minutes. Kenrich [Williams] did a great job, but really, the whole team did.”
Indeed, it was a gritty, all-hands-on-deck kind of win. The Thunder leaned into their versatility, often going small against a Cavs team that featured the likes of Jarrett Allen.
And it worked. Daigneault highlighted the contributions of Aaron Wiggins and Isaiah Joe-two players who don’t always grab headlines but stepped up in a big way.
“Wiggins, Isaiah Joe-those guys were huge tonight,” Daigneault said. “Not just with the shot-making and offense, but the way they moved the ball, the way they defended, and stuck their nose in the fight.”
That’s been a theme for this Thunder team all season: resilience. They don’t just survive adversity-they seem to feed off it. Whether it’s a short bench, a tough road environment, or missing key contributors, OKC has found ways to stay competitive and, more often than not, come out on top.
Now sitting at 2-1 on this road swing, the Thunder head into Milwaukee looking to finish the trip strong. It won’t be easy-especially with the Bucks still a force on their home floor-but if Monday’s performance proved anything, it’s that this Thunder squad doesn’t need a full deck to play a winning hand.