What to Watch For in OKC Thunder vs. Portland Trail Blazers
The Oklahoma City Thunder face the Portland Trail Blazers on the second night of a back-to-back, entering the matchup with an unbeaten 8–0 record, marking the best start in franchise history.
Portland arrives with a 4–3 record, winning three of their last four games. Assistant coach Tiago Splitter remains in charge while head coach Chauncey Billups is on leave during an ongoing investigation.
Injury Updates
- For the Trail Blazers: Scoot Henderson, Matisse Thybulle, Blake Wesley, and Damian Lillard are ruled out.
- Shaedon Sharpe is listed as probable due to a calf strain.
- For the Thunder: Jalen Williams, Kenrich Williams, and rookie Nikola Topic will not play.
Players to Monitor
With the short turnaround, attention is on Chet Holmgren and Ajay Mitchell, who both endured hard falls on Tuesday but stayed on the court against the Clippers. Defensive specialist Lu Dort exited that game early with a shoulder bruise.
The Thunder will not release an official NBA injury report until Wednesday afternoon.
Game Focus
This contest offers Oklahoma City a chance to extend their franchise-best start, while Portland seeks to prove their resilience despite a depleted roster.
Author’s summary: The Thunder chase their ninth straight win as the short-handed Trail Blazers look to compete without several key players under interim coach Tiago Splitter.