Thunder’s long injury report for NBA Finals rematch vs. Pacers

The Oklahoma City Thunder returns from its four-game road trip to face the Indiana Pacers in an NBA Finals rematch with more injured players than before. All-Star Jalen Williams joined Isaiah Hartenstein on the injury report as the two Thunder starters’ respective long-term injuries leave a void in the frontcourt. Williams strained his right hamstring in a 122-120 loss to the Miami Heat. He will be re-evaluated in two weeks.

Hartenstein hasn’t played since December 28, when he suffered a right calf injury in a 129-104 win against the Philadelphia 76ers. Ajay Mitchell scored 18 first-half points before going down in the third quarter of a 122-102 win against the Milwaukee Bucks. He’s ruled out with an abdominal strain for Friday’s game against the Pacers, who have dealt with long-term injuries all season.

Tyrese Haliburton’s torn Achilles tendon set a somber tone for the 2025-26 Pacers. Bennedict Mathurin, dealing with a sprained right thumb, has missed nearly half the regular season as the extensive injury report strips fans of the feeling of an NBA Finals rematch between two teams that went the distance in their seven-game series last June. Obi Toppin (right foot; stress fracture) is also ruled out for the Pacers, and Quenton Jackson (right ankle; sprain) is questionable.

Alex Caruso is ruled out with a right adductor strain, while Jaylin Williams (left glut; contusion) and Aaron Wiggins (right groin; soreness) are listed as questionable for Oklahoma City.

Mark Daigneault on shorthanded Thunder’s approach

Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault commended his team for stepping up amid so many injured players, as the defending champion defeated the Cavs and the Bucks with only 10 and 11 players, respectively, toward the end of a four-game road trip. Daigneault says it’s a testament to the Thunder’s relentless approach.

“The thing that I love about this team is we have a group of guys that see those types of setbacks as a challenge,” Daigneault said. “And that became our challenge tonight with only Chet in the frontcourt. So, we played small [for] a lot of minutes. Kenrich did a great job, but the whole team did a great job. Even with Allen out there, we went small a lot in the first half, and the guys really scrapped and fought.

“Then, I thought, huge minutes out of Wiggins, Isaiah Joe; those guys were huge tonight. Not only with the shot making and the offense, but the way the moved the ball, and the way that they defended, and stuck their nose in the fight. It was a great overall team win,” Daigneault concluded.

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