Thunder's Aleksej Pokusevski: Suffers right arm fracture
Rotowire
Pokusevski suffered a small right humerus fracture May 31 and will be re-evaluated in four-to-six weeks, Clemente Almanza of the Thunder Wire reports.
Pokusevski has had some tough injury luck lately, as he missed over half of his third NBA season with a total of 34 games played. Fortunately, he still has a lot of time to recover in advance of training camp with the Thunder. With an improved three-point shot and a knack for blocking shots, Pokusevski has the potential to play a big role for the Thunder.
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Thunder's Kenrich Williams: Another successful procedure
Rotowire
Williams (wrist) underwent a successful planned procedure Tuesday to remove hardware from his initial surgery, Clemente Almanza of USA Today reports.
Williams underwent a procedure in March to repair the scapholunate ligament in his left wrist, and it appears he's making good progress in his recovery. The 28-year-old signed a three-year, $20.01 million extension in October last year that includes a team option for 2026-27. Williams posted 8.0 points, 4.9 rebounds and 2.0 assists in 22.8 minutes across 55 appearances during the 2022-23 campaign.
Thunder's Jalen Williams: Ends first season on promising note
Rotowire
Williams posted 17 points (5-10 FG, 4-8 3Pt, 3-4 FT), four rebounds, five assists and three steals in 32 minutes during Friday's 120-95 Play-In Game loss to Minnesota.
Williams, at times, looked like the best player on the court for OKC in the team's most important game of the year, as he led the squad in assists and steals while tying for first in triples. Only Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored more points for the Thunder than Williams, but the star point guard shot a miserable 5-for-19 from the field as opposed to the rookie's 5-for-10 line. Williams was announced as a finalist for the NBA Rookie of the Year award Friday after finishing the campaign with averages of 14.1 points, 4.5 boards, 3.3 dimes and 1.4 steals. He was especially effective in the second half of the season when he averaged 18.6 points, 5.4 rebounds, 4.3 assists and 1.7 thefts while shooting 54.6 percent from the field and 88.0 percent from the charity stripe.
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Thunder's Josh Giddey: Fizzles in second Play-In Game
Rotowire
Giddey logged six points (2-13 FG, 0-4 3Pt, 2-2 FT), five rebounds, four assists and one steal in 30 minutes during Friday's 120-95 Play-In Game loss to the Timberwolves.
Giddey was fantastic in OKC's Play-In win over the Pelicans on Wednesday, falling just shy of a triple-double with 31 points, 10 assists and nine rebounds. However, he could not come close to duplicating that performance Friday, shooting a miserable 2-for-13 from the field and making less of an impact on the boards and as a distributor. Despite the sour conclusion, Giddey showed promising growth in his second NBA campaign, upping his field-goal rate over six notches to a solid 48.2 percent. He nearly broke into the top 100 in nine-category fantasy leagues due to his ability to contribute across three categories, averaging 16.6 points, 7.9 boards and 6.2 dimes per contest during the regular season.
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Thunder's Shai Gilgeous-Alexander: Stifled in season-ending loss
Rotowire
Gilgeous-Alexander closed Friday's 120-95 Play-In Game loss to the Timberwolves with 22 points (5-19 FG, 0-1 3Pt, 12-12 FT), seven rebounds, three assists, three blocks and one steal in 36 minutes.
Gilgeous-Alexander led OKC with 22 points and made all 12 of his free throws, but he was largely contained from the field, posting an ugly 5-for-19 shooting line. The point guard did manage to contribute in other ways, leading the Thunder with three blocked shots and finishing second with seven boards. Gilgeous-Alexander blossomed in his fifth NBA season, finishing fourth in the league in scoring with a career-best 31.4 points per game. Despite the disappointing ending, the Kentucky product has become one of the league's brightest young stars.
Pokusevski (knee) is out for Friday's Play-In Game versus the Timberwolves.
Pokusevski will miss his fifth straight game Friday due to a left knee contusion. His absence shouldn't affect the Thunder's rotation. If Oklahoma City beats Minnesota, Pokusevski's next chance to suit up will be Sunday's matchup with Denver.
Thunder's Luguentz Dort: Explodes for season-high 27 points
Rotowire
Dort finished with 27 points (8-14 FG, 4-8 3Pt, 7-8 FT), five rebounds, one assist and one block in 36 minutes during Wednesday's 123-118 Play-In Tournament win over the Pelicans.
Dort made good on his skills as a streaky scorer and all-around contributor in the do-or-die win, converting four key three-pointers in pivotal moments. Dort averaged only 13.7 points per game this season, but if he can replicate this performance alongside solid results from Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Josh Giddey, the Thunder will have an excellent chance to advance.
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Thunder's Josh Giddey: Flirts with triple-double
Rotowire
Giddey finished with 31 points (11-22 FG, 3-7 3Pt, 6-7 FT), nine rebounds, 10 assists and one block over 42 minutes during Wednesday's 123-118 Play-In Game victory over the Pelicans.
Giddey was brilliant in the win, matching his best performance of the season with 31 points, coming one rebound shy of a triple-double. The Aussie had a consistent and productive second season with the Thunder, notching a perfect attendance record after missing the first six games of the season. In 76 appearances, Giddey averaged career numbers in points (16.6) and rebounds (7.9) and shot 48.2 percent from the floor.
