Chet Holmgren of the Oklahoma City Thunder will be sidelined for a minimum of eight weeks due to a pelvic fracture.
The injury occurred during the first quarter of the Thunder’s game against the Golden State Warriors, where Holmgren suffered a right iliac wing fracture. The franchise anticipates his return this season, with a further update expected in eight to ten weeks.
This injury is a significant setback for a team that began the season with an impressive seven-game winning streak and currently shares the top position in the Western Conference with an 8-2 record. Holmgren, who was the runner-up for the Rookie of the Year award last season, has emerged as one of the most efficient players in the league this year, posting averages of 18.2 points, 9.2 rebounds, and 2.9 blocks per game.
The injury occurred while Holmgren contested a layup from Andrew Wiggins, resulting in a collision that sent him crashing to the floor. He immediately grasped his right hip and remained down before being assisted off the court. Although he did not put weight on his right leg, he managed to give a thumbs up as he left the game.
At the time of Holmgren’s exit, the Thunder were leading 16-12, but they later found themselves down by 30 points late in the third quarter. Despite a spirited effort, Oklahoma City ultimately fell to the Warriors, 127-116.
Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander expressed the challenge of refocusing following Holmgren’s injury. He stated, “It’s hard. Hopefully, he’s OK. It’s part of the game, but it sucks.”
Entering the game, Oklahoma City led the league in defensive rating, but without their defensive anchor, the team struggled significantly during the second and third quarters. Holmgren, standing at 7-foot-1, is recognized as one of the top shot blockers in the NBA and possesses the agility to defend against guards when necessary.
Gilgeous-Alexander acknowledged the impact of Holmgren’s absence on their defense. “It changed a lot for us defensively, for sure,” he remarked. “He does so much on that end of the floor. He cleans up so many things, deters so many things around the rim when he’s not blocking them (shots).”
Despite the setback, the Thunder opened the fourth quarter with energy, managing to cut their deficit to six points in the final minutes.
Gilgeous-Alexander reflected on the lessons learned from the second half, emphasizing the need for improvement. “Especially against good teams, you can’t go down that big,” he said. “It’s almost impossible to come back. You’ve got to be better on both ends of the ball for longer periods of time.”
The Thunder, known for their depth, now face a challenge in their frontcourt. Holmgren had recently transitioned from forward to center due to the absence of newly-acquired Isaiah Hartenstein, who is recovering from a fractured left hand. The team is also missing forward/center Jaylin Williams (right hamstring) and guard/forward Kenrich Williams (right knee).
Oklahoma City is set to host the Los Angeles Clippers on Monday, with fans hoping for a resilient performance in light of their recent challenges.
