Thunder Making the Most of Depleted Bench Unit

With a rash of injuries hitting the bench, OKC is looking to new faces to fill the void.

If you took a look at the box score from Monday’s loss to the Kings before the season, you’d think the Thunder had spent the first half of the season wheeling and dealing, flipping assets for picks left and right, and this is what was left over.

The Thunder entered the game with six of it’s fifteen main-roster players out with varying injuries — three of which being the main core of the bench.

Without Ty Jerome, Kenrich Williams and Mike Muscala all out — and Tre Mann and Isaiah Roby forced into the starting lineup — the Thunder have had to turn to the next crop of players to backfill those spots.

Enter Olivier Sarr, Lindy Waters III and Vit Krejci.

Sarr and Waters are both recent signees to two-way contracts playing in the first stretch of NBA games of their careers. Sarr featured in two games, playing less than 14 minutes total earlier this season on a 10-day contract and impressed enough to be re-signed when Aaron Wiggins' contract was converted in February.

Discounting a 44-second appearance against the Suns, Sarr has averaged eight points and four rebounds averaging 23.5 minutes per game since the All-Star break. Waters signed his deal following the waiving of Paul Watson Jr. in early February and featured in three games prior to the break — used almost exclusively in offense-only situations. But has been given his first real chance to play in the Thunder two most recent outings — averaging 5.5 points.

Krejci has dealt with a myriad of injuries in his time in OKC and is putting together his first stretch of games with the newfound opportunities. He is still trying to find what his role on an NBA team looks like, but has averaged six points and has shown glimpses of the 3-point shooting he became known for in his time with the OKC Blue.

Along with the crop above, old friends Aleksej Pokusevski and Theo Maledon have stepped up their games in the absence of the players typically ahead of them. Pokusevski has averaged 11.7 points, 5.3 rebounds and 2.3 assists since the All-Star break — a continuation of his ascension following a lengthy G League stint. Maledon has added 8.3 points of his own over those three games — highlighted by a 14-point outing against the Pacers.

The Thunder will see some of its bench pieces return in the coming weeks, but with the play of their replacements will put OKC in a good place should other injuries arise.

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