Oklahoma City Thunder DVOA, Stats, & NBA Rankings

Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is off the injury report for Friday's matchup with the visiting Hornets. SGA is having an MVP-caliber year, averaging a career-high 33.0 points with 6.2 assists, 5.0 rebounds, 1.8 steals, and 1.0 blocks. He took the night off to rest when OKC played the 76ers on Wednesday night, allowing Isaiah Joe to move into the starting lineup and finish with 21 points while shooting 5-for-9 from behind the three-point line. His absence also enabled Jaylin Williams to amass an impressive 19-point, 17-rebound, 11-assist triple-double. With Jalen Williams (hip) and Luguentz Dort (hip) ruled out, there should be room in the rotation for Williams and Joe to remain involved. However, it will likely be business as usual against Charlotte, with Gilgeous-Alexander commanding the offense.

Oklahoma City Thunder center Isaiah Hartenstein (back) will be inactive on Wednesday against the Philadelphia 76ers. The team has downgraded him from questionable to out, as low back spasms will prevent Hartenstein from suiting up for the game. This means Chet Holmgren is expected to take on much of the frontcourt work, while Jaylin Williams and Kenrich Williams will see extra time on the court. Both players have previously excelled in similar situations and should be considered solid streaming options.

Oklahoma City Thunder guard/forward Jalen Williams (hip) will remain sidelined on Wednesday against the Philadelphia 76ers. He is trying to recover from a right hip strain but will need more time to do so. This will be Williams' fourth consecutive absence. The Thunder have a long list of absentees, including Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (rest), which opens up playing time for Isaiah Joe, Aaron Wiggins, and Kenrich Williams. Meanwhile, Chet Holmgren could end up being the only available regular starter, and his offense usage should get a boost.

Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (rest) will not be in action on Wednesday against the Philadelphia 76ers. The team plans to rest him for the matchup, with Gilgeous-Alexander sitting out a game for only the third time this season. Luguentz Dort (hip) and Jalen Williams (hip) also won't play, leaving OKC without three starters for the contest. In this situation, Isaiah Joe and Aaron Wiggins are likely to be asked to shoulder a heavier workload. There may be even more playing time available for the Thunder bench, depending on the statuses of Cason Wallace (shoulder) and Isaiah Hartenstein (back), who are both listed as questionable on the injury report.

Oklahoma City Thunder guard/forward Aaron Wiggins (illness) has overcome a questionable designation and will play in Sunday's intriguing matchup against the Milwaukee Bucks. He has been cleared to return to the lineup after missing Saturday's game against the Detroit Pistons due to an illness. Wiggins was a starter in his most recent appearance and could return to the first unit against Milwaukee after Luguentz Dort (hip) was injured in Saturday's contest. In 21 starts this season, Wiggins has averaged 13.3 points, 4.5 rebounds, 1.6 assists, and 1.0 steals.