Thunder Keep Rolling Despite Injury Carousel: A 20-1 Start Built on Depth, Grit, and Shai
Jalen Williams finally made his long-awaited return to the Oklahoma City Thunder lineup, and for a moment, it looked like fans might finally get a glimpse of the full-strength starting five. But this season has had other plans. Williams’ return came just as Isaiah Hartenstein missed his first game of the year, and the revolving door of Thunder injuries kept on spinning.
Now 21 games into the season, two things have defined this OKC team: they can’t seem to stay fully healthy - and they just keep winning anyway.
The latest blow? Hartenstein suffered a right soleus strain - that’s a deep calf muscle injury - and he’ll be re-evaluated in 10 to 14 days.
On top of that, Lu Dort landed on the injury report ahead of Tuesday’s matchup with Golden State, nursing a right adductor strain. That’s the same injury that sidelined Aaron Wiggins for 11 games.
Ironically, Wiggins had just returned in the previous game against Portland.
It’s been a constant game of musical chairs in the Thunder locker room, with players coming and going from the rotation seemingly every night. And yet, the results speak for themselves.
Here’s a snapshot of the injury toll through 21 games:
- Cason Wallace: 1 game missed
- Jaylin Williams: 1 game missed
- Isaiah Hartenstein: 2 games missed
- Chet Holmgren: 4 games missed
- Isaiah Joe: 5 games missed
- Lu Dort: 6 games missed
- Alex Caruso: 6 games missed
- Aaron Wiggins: 11 games missed
- Kenrich Williams: 18 games missed
- Jalen Williams: 19 games missed
- Thomas Sorber: 21 games missed
- Nikola Topić: 21 games missed
That adds up to 31 missed games from the starting lineup and 36 from core rotation players. Add in 42 missed games from a projected top-five lottery pick and a rookie selected 15th overall, and you’ve got the kind of injury report that usually spells trouble for a team’s early-season rhythm.
But not for Oklahoma City.
At 20-1, the Thunder are just the fourth team in NBA history to reach that mark. It’s not just impressive - it’s historic. And it’s happening despite the fact that head coach Mark Daigneault has rarely had his full rotation at his disposal.
This is where the depth, development, and culture of OKC really shine. They’re not just surviving these injuries - they’re thriving through them. The bench has stepped up, role players have delivered, and the system continues to hum even when key pieces are missing.
And yes, it’s impossible to talk about this run without mentioning Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. He’s been the steady heartbeat of this team, keeping the Thunder on course through all the lineup shuffles. There’s a serious MVP case building here, and while we’ll dive into that another time, it’s safe to say he’s been the engine behind OKC’s blistering start.
The recent returns of Jalen Williams, Kenrich Williams, and Aaron Wiggins have been a welcome boost, and Thunder fans are hoping Lu Dort, Alex Caruso, and Isaiah Hartenstein aren’t far behind.
In a season that’s been anything but smooth, the Thunder have found a way to stay locked in. Twenty-one games in, they’ve proven they’re not just a young team with potential - they’re a legitimate contender, with the record to prove it.