“I’d say it worked out in my favor.” In the five years since being traded from the LA Clippers, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has embraced a positive perspective on the change. But that hasn’t stopped him from bringing his best against his former team. Under his leadership, the Oklahoma City Thunder now hold a 7-3 record against the Clippers. The upcoming regular season matchup offers the perfect opportunity to extend this win streak, although Gilgeous-Alexander and the Thunder will face it missing several key players.

According to OKC’s injury report shared by ESPN, Chet Holmgren is listed as day-to-day, meaning fans won’t know about his availability until closer to game time. Kenrich Williams, who hasn’t played a game this season as he recovers from right knee surgery, will remain out. Jaylin Williams is also sidelined with a hamstring injury, and Isaiah Hartenstein, who contributed during the preseason, is out with a non-displaced fracture in his left hand. Additionally, Nikola Topic, who recently underwent ACL surgery, will be out for the entire 2024-25 season.

Chet Holmgren sustained a right iliac hip fracture earlier today during the Oklahoma City Thunder’s game against the Golden State Warriors. In the first quarter, the Warriors set up an offensive play with a series of passes that eventually landed with Andrew Wiggins, who drove to the rim for a layup. Holmgren was ready to defend, but the two collided, causing Holmgren to fall hard on his right side. He lay on the court, visibly in pain, until trainers assisted him to the locker room. He did not return to the game, finishing with zero points.

Reports indicate that an update on Holmgren’s return-to-play protocol will be available in eight to 10 weeks. Currently, he remains listed as day-to-day, but the team may need to consider alternate plans should the center/power forward require an extended recovery.

The LA Clippers are also facing lineup challenges, with three key players out for their upcoming game: Mo Bamba, Kawhi Leonard, and P.J. Tucker. Bamba has yet to make his season debut as he recovers from a left knee injury, though recent participation in 5-on-5 scrimmages suggests he may be nearing a return. Kawhi Leonard, still recovering from a right knee injury, might also be progressing toward readiness, though his exact timeline remains unclear. Meanwhile, P.J. Tucker is not traveling with the team, leaving his availability even more uncertain.

With these injury updates, both teams will need to make adjustments to their starting lineups for the matchup.

Starting Lineup and Depth Chart for the Thunder-Clippers clash

With Chet Holmgren likely unavailable for the upcoming matchup at the Paycom Center, the Thunder would typically turn to his backup for additional court time. However, Kenrich Williams is officially listed as out on the Injury Report. Ousmane Dieng, the team’s third-string center, has been active throughout the season, averaging 4.4 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 1 assist over the last 10 games. In Holmgren’s absence, he may see increased minutes. Additionally, Isaiah Joe was moved into the starting lineup during the second half of the OKC-Warriors game following Holmgren’s exit, positioning him as another possible replacement.

The Thunder have already navigated much of the season without Kenrich or Jaylen Williams, meaning their continued absence is unlikely to disrupt the team’s performance. Similarly, Nikola Topic’s unavailability won’t significantly impact the lineup, while CBS Sports reports Alex Caruso as a likely candidate to address the void left by Isaiah Hartenstein.

Taking all of this into consideration, we expect the starting lineup for the Lakers to look something like this:

Similarly, looking at the updates for the LA Clippers, analysts expect the franchise’s starting lineup to look something like this:

The Oklahoma City Thunder or the LA Clippers? Who will you be rooting for during the upcoming matchup? Let us know in the comments down below.