Nikola Topic’s return gave the OKC Blue a jolt early, but it wasn’t enough to keep them from slipping to a 97-89 loss to the Osceola Magic on Sunday.
The road defeat left the Blue at 0-2 in the 2026-27 G League regular season, and the game turned once Topic came out of it. He was back on the floor while recovering from offseason back surgery he had in June 2026, after initially being expected to be ready by training camp. The 21-year-old gave OKC a real lift in his first run back with the G League squad.
For one quarter, the Blue looked in control. They opened with a 31-22 lead after the first, and Topic was running the offense.
He helped set the tone and made the group better around him. But the second quarter brought the first major swing, with OKC managing only 13 points.
Even so, the Blue still carried a 44-43 edge into halftime.
Topic did not play after the break, and Osceola quickly leaned into that opening. The Magic put together a 13-3 run in the second half, while OKC answered with 26 points in the third quarter to keep things level at 70 heading into the fourth.
Then the game got away from the Blue. Osceola strung together a 20-7 run and Oklahoma City could only muster 19 points in the final period. What looked like it might come down to the wire instead faded into a quiet finish.
The Blue shot 41% from the field and just 5-of-29 from 3-point range, a 17.2% mark. They went 12-of-16 at the line and finished with 13 assists on 31 made baskets. Five players reached double figures.
Osceola shot 38% overall and hit 11-of-38 from deep, good for 28.9%. The Magic were 10-of-15 on free throws, had 20 assists on 33 baskets, and got double-digit scoring from four players.
Topic finished with 10 points on 4-of-8 shooting, along with three assists and four steals.
JD Davison led the Blue with 26 points on 7-of-13 shooting, added 2-of-4 from 3, and finished 5-of-5 at the line with five rebounds, four assists and four steals. Malaki Branham scored 23 points on 8-of-18 shooting and added five rebounds and two assists.
Zhaire Smith posted 19 points on 7-of-12 shooting, including 1-of-4 from 3, plus two assists and two rebounds. Au’Diese Toney chipped in 14 points on 5-of-13 shooting, hit 2-of-7 from deep, and grabbed five rebounds.
Christoph Tilly added 13 points on a perfect 4-of-4 shooting, along with 10 rebounds, two assists and two blocks.
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Nikola Topic Is Giving Thunder Fans A Reason To Watch The Blue
The Oklahoma City Blue opened their 2026-27 G League season with a pair of losses, but the early games still gave Thunder fans something to track closely. Nikola Topic was in the lineup for the second game after working back from a back injury, and his presence alone made the Blue more relevant than a typical early-season G League watch.
Topics first outing offered a reminder of why Oklahoma City has been so patient with his recovery, even as the Blue continue to sort through their rotation and lean on contributions from players like Jaehshon Thomas, Pritchard, Smith and Tilly. With the Thunder always keeping an eye on who might be next in line, Topics next steps feel like the part of this season that matters most. [Read more 🡒]
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Hartensteins recent stretch has made him a more important piece than many expected when he arrived, especially because his impact is showing up in so many different areas. He has been giving Oklahoma City reliable rebounding and extra playmaking from the center spot, which helps keep the offense flowing even when the shot volume is spread around. For a team with bigger ambitions, that kind of steady production is exactly the sort of thing that can matter later, even if it does not always jump off the box score. [Read more 🡒]
Thunders Injury Response Is Creating An Unfamiliar Roster Problem
In the wake of injuries to key players, the Thunder have been forced into a flurry of roster moves that looks nothing like their usual patient approach to building out the back end of the roster. Oklahoma City has waived second-round pick Otega Oweh, rescinded a contract offer to Ochai Agbaji, signed and then waived Dalen Terry, and brought in Nique Clifford in a trade, all in an effort to keep the roster functional while the injury situation sorts itself out.
What makes this stretch unusual is that the Thunder have had to work around league rules while doing it, since they could not just clear space by moving a two-way player. For a team that typically prizes flexibility and long-term planning, the sequence has created an unfamiliar kind of roster squeeze, one that has forced the front office to make quick decisions and accept short-term disruption in the process. [Read more 🡒]