Thunder’s Ajay Mitchell gets positive injury update before Nuggets clash

For the first time since January, Oklahoma City Thunder guard Ajay Mitchell’s name was no longer on the injury report, clearing his return to face the Denver Nuggets at the Paycom Center on Monday. Mitchell suffered a strained abdominal and a sprained left ankle. Thunder All-Star Chet Holmgren is listed as questionable after missing Friday’s 104-97 win against the Golden State Warriors due to an illness.

Mitchell, who has emerged as one of Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault’s most reliable guards this season, rejoins a backcourt that’s added Jared McCain amid his absence. Ahead of a highly-anticipated rematch of last year’s Western Conference semifinals best-of-7 series against the Nuggets, Ajay Mitchell makes his return for the Thunder.

Alex Caruso (left hip) is listed as questionable for the Thunder, while Isaiah Hartenstein (left calf), Jalen Williams, amid a lengthy rehab for a right hamstring injury, and Branden Carlson (back) remain out for the defending champions.

Monday’s showdown between the Thunder and the Nuggets follows last week’s overtime thriller, which resulted in a 127-121 victory for Oklahoma City. Lu Dort committed a flagrant-2 foul on Nuggets All-Star Nikola Jokic, ending his night after fueling an enraged Jokic, who earned a technical foul for getting tied up with Thunder’s Jaylin Williams.

Lu Dort apologizes for flagrant-2 on Nikola Jokic in Thunder win

After backlash from the public, Thunder guard Lu Dort apologized for his flagrant-2 foul on Nuggets All-Star center Nikola Jokic. Dort says he was caught up in the moment and fouled Jokic in a way he regrets, he said, per The Athletic’s Joel Lorenzi.

“It was a physical game throughout the whole game,” Dort said. “Obviously, that was unnecessary contact that I shouldn’t have done. I got the worst of it by getting thrown out the game. But yeah, it was a high-level game. I’m a competitor, so I compete.”

Fans should anticipate a similar level of intensity amidst this Western Conference rival between the Thunder and the Nuggets that will meet for the second-to-last time in the regular season on Monday.

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