Blazers Injury Report: 4 Key Thunder Players Sidelined vs Portland

The Trail Blazers may have a (slight) health advantage.

Jan 10, 2023; Miami, Florida, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder forward Jalen Williams (8) and guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2)and forward Kenrich Williams (34) dive to get a loose ball against the Miami Heat during the second half at FTX Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rich Storry-Imagn Images / Rich Storry-Imagn Images

The 2-3 Portland Trail Blazers may have a (slight) health advantage when they square off against one of the best in the West, the undefeated (4-0) Oklahoma City Thunder.

Per the league's latest injury report, four key rotation pieces for the Thunder will be shelved for the matchup. Center Isaiah Hartenstein continues to recuperate from his left hand fracture. Reserve big man Jaylin Williams is sidelined with a right hamstring surgery. Rookie point guard Nikola Topic and shooting guard/small forward Kenrich Williams are still on the mend from their respective knee surgeries.

Two-way players Alex Ducas and Adam Flagler are with the Thunder's G League affiliate, the Oklahoma City Blue.

Hartenstein is obviously the biggest impact piece who'll be missing for Oklahoma City. The Thunder have yet to see him suit up in a regular game since he signed a three-year, $87 million deal with the club as a free agent this summer. The 26-year-old emerged as a critical rim-rolling 7-footer for the New York Knicks during two second-round-bound seasons with that historic franchise. Last year, appearing in 75 games (49 starts), Hartenstein posted averages of 7.8 points on 64.4 percent shooting from the floor and 70.7 percent shooting from the charity stripe, 8.3 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 1.2 steals and 1.1 blocks per bout, in 75 healthy games.

Jaylin Williams had become essentially a bonus rotation big for the Thunder this offseason, thanks to the arrival of Hartenstein. But with Hartenstein out, the Thunder really could have used the 6-foot-9 Arkansas product, who like Hartenstein has yet to play a single game this year due to injury. In 69 healthy games last year for the top-seeded Thunder, he posted averages of 4.0 points and 3.4 rebounds across 13.0 bench minutes.

Kenrich Williams, too, has been out all year. He saw his role reduced as the Thunder returned to the playoffs for the first time since their 2019-20 Chris Paul season. In his 69 healthy bouts, the combo forward averaged 4.7 points on .468/.397/.500 shooting splits, 3.0 rebounds, 1.3 steals and 0.6 blocks a night.

Topic, the No. 12 pick in this past summer's draft, is out for the year as he recuperates from a left ACL surgery.

For Portland, the usual suspects remain out. Expected starting shooting guard Shaedon Sharpe (left shoulder labral tear), All-Defensive bench wing Matisse Thybulle (right knee injury maintenance) and backup center Robert Williams III (left hamstring strain) have yet to play a game for Portland this season. And they're not about to start against the Thunder, apparently.

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