Injuries to Key Big Men Prove Catastrophic for OKC

Choosing Gonzaga middle Chet Holmgren with the second total choose within the 2022 NBA Draft was presupposed to be step one in fortifying the Oklahoma Metropolis’s inside protection. 

Holmgren, who was heralded for his defensive prowess in highschool and school, averaged a whopping 3.7 blocks per recreation as a freshman. His size, footwork and intelligence give the previous five-star recruit plug-and-play potential when he his wholesome. 

Because of Holmgren’s season-ending damage over the summer time, nonetheless, OKC entered the season already at an obstacle within the frontcourt. With Aleksej Pokusevski and Jeremiah Robinson-Earl now out of the lineup with accidents of their very own, the Thunder are missing depth at middle. 

Oklahoma Metropolis now depends on Jaylin Williams, Eugene Omoruyi, Darius Bazley and Mike Muscala to occupy the large man roles on a nightly foundation. Within the staff’s earlier two outings, 6-foot-10 second spherical rookie Jaylin Williams has been the staff’s tallest starter with 6-foot-8 guard Josh Giddey working because the squad’s second-tallest starter. 

This has created points for the Thunder on each ends of the ground, as OKC has missed the rim safety talents of Pokusevski and the power of Robinson-Earl on protection whereas lacking the ground spacing every present on offense. Moreover, Oklahoma Metropolis has been outrebounded in every of its final two video games. 

Within the staff’s New 12 months’s Eve matchup towards the Philadelphia 76ers, celebrity middle Joel Embiid recorded a triple-double on the Paycom Heart. Whereas Embiid is a spectacular participant, it’s doubtless that Pokusevski and Robinson-Earl would’ve given the Thunder a greater likelihood at slowing down the previous Kansas Jayhawk. 

Offensively, the staff is lacking the output that their two injured huge man often present. Between Pokusevski, a 37.6% 3-point shooter, and Robinson-Earl, a 38% shooter from past the arc, OKC is lacking out on over 17 factors and 10 rebounds per recreation. 

Within the two video games since Poku and JRE appeared on the damage report, Jaylin Williams, Omoruyi, Bazley and Muscala have pitched in a mixed 14 factors, three lower than Pokusevski and Robinson-Earl mix to common in a single recreation.

With their two important huge males sidelined for the foreseeable future, it seems as if Oklahoma Metropolis will wrestle early within the New 12 months.  

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