Short-Handed, Still Standing: Thunder Keep Rolling Behind Star Power and Gritty Defense
The Oklahoma City Thunder walked into Wednesday night’s game against the Milwaukee Bucks with just eight healthy bodies. By the time the final buzzer sounded, they were down to seven. And yet, they walked out with another win.
That’s been the story of the season so far for OKC - a team that continues to defy the odds, the injuries, and the depth charts. Missing a full rotation’s worth of players - Jalen Williams, Isaiah Hartenstein, Alex Caruso, Jaylin Williams, Aaron Wiggins, Nikola Topic, and Thomas Sorber - the Thunder didn’t flinch. Even when breakout rookie Ajay Mitchell exited in the second half with a right hip contusion, Oklahoma City didn’t blink.
They just kept playing Thunder basketball.
And that means Shai Gilgeous-Alexander doing what he does best - controlling the game with pace, poise, and a scoring arsenal that’s as smooth as it is relentless. It means Chet Holmgren anchoring the paint and stretching the floor, Lu Dort digging in defensively and hitting timely shots, and a bench full of role players stepping into the spotlight and delivering. It also means a defense that doesn’t just hold the line - it squeezes the life out of opposing offenses.
This wasn’t a full-strength Bucks team on the other side, but that doesn’t take away from what OKC is doing. Every team deals with injuries. Few handle them like this.
Still, as impressive as the Thunder have been, the road ahead is about to get a whole lot steeper.
The next three games - all at home - are manageable. The Indiana Pacers and New Orleans Pelicans are sitting at the bottom of their respective conferences, while the Toronto Raptors have been a pleasant surprise but remain beatable. If OKC can stay afloat health-wise, they’ve got a shot to keep stacking wins.
But after that? Buckle up.
From January 29 to February 11, the Thunder enter a brutal stretch that reads like a playoff preview. It starts with road games against the Timberwolves and Nuggets - two of the best teams in the West - followed by a quick home date with the surging Orlando Magic. Then it’s back on the road for a fifth meeting with the San Antonio Spurs, a home showdown with the upstart Houston Rockets, and a tough West Coast swing through Los Angeles and Phoenix.
That’s a gauntlet, even for a healthy team. For a squad that’s been operating with a skeleton crew, it’s a real test of depth, resilience, and championship mettle.
The Thunder do get a slight breather around the All-Star break, with home games against the Bucks and Nets bookending the festivities. But the grind doesn’t stop. They’ll close out February with a home matchup against the Cleveland Cavaliers, road trips to face the Raptors and Pistons, and a marquee battle with Nikola Jokic and the Nuggets back in OKC.
Despite all the adversity, the Thunder hold the league’s best record and a 6.5-game cushion over the Spurs in the Western Conference standings. That’s no small feat for a team that’s been the second-most injured in the NBA this season.
But the schedule is about to start asking tougher questions. Can OKC keep this up when the competition stiffens and the margin for error shrinks? Can they stay healthy enough to maintain their edge?
Time will tell. But if what we’ve seen so far is any indication, the Thunder aren’t just surviving - they’re thriving. And as long as Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is leading the charge, Chet Holmgren is patrolling the paint, and the rest of the roster keeps buying in, Oklahoma City isn’t going anywhere.
The champs are still here - banged up, but very much in control.