With only nine regular season games remaining and the playoffs looming closer, the Thunder are bound to finish as the top seed in the West. They are the only team in the league with 60+ wins this year. That doesn’t mean they have taken their foot off the gas. Heading into tonight’s Pacers clash, they are hoping to extend their eight-game winning streak. But it could prove to be a difficult challenge because they will play without their big man Chet Holmgren.

Yes, Holmgren will not suit up against the Pacers. Reason? Hip injury management. Well, this has been a lingering issue ever since he suffered a right iliac wing fracture back in November. It happened after Chet landed awkwardly following a midair collision with Andrew Wiggins during the Warriors clash. He has been in and out of the lineup since then and has been limited to playing only 26 games this season due to the hip issue and other lingering injuries.

Even for last Sunday’s game against the Clippers, the 7’1 Center was out because of the same reason. Sure enough, Chet’s unavailability is a massive blow to the team because he has been solid when healthy, averaging 14.8 points and over eight rebounds. But there have been times when his lingering injuries have seemingly affected his performance.

Against the Grizzlies on Thursday, Holmgren struggled to find his rhythm and finished with a single-digit score of 4 points. Maybe, that’s why the Thunder decided that it was best for him to rest tonight. In his absence, Isaiah Hartenstein and Kenrich Williams are likely to see an increase in minutes to shoulder the load. Adding to the concerns, Chet is not the only OKC star to miss tonight’s game.

Injury concerns worsen for OKC Thunder as key stars join Chet Holmgren on the sidelines

Apart from Holmgren, several other key players have been ruled out against the Indiana team. Another big man, Jaylin Williams, will miss tonight’s game as he is also dealing with a hip injury. His status was initially questionable after he felt stiffness in his hip during Thursday’s game. As a result, Jaylin could play only eight minutes that night and finished with 3 points.

Meanwhile, Aaron Wiggins will also miss his third straight game as he continues to deal with an Achilles injury. Of course, the usuals—Ousmane Dieng, Alex Ducas, Ajay Mitchell, and Nikola Topic—are also sidelined due to their injury woes.

As expected, the Thunder are extremely cautious because they have already clinched a playoff berth and do not want to rush the injured players’ return. Moreover, their incredible depth allows them to dominate their opponents despite playing without multiple stars.

Right now, their priority would be to return to complete strength before the postseason begins, boosting their chances of winning the championship. But first, they need to find a way to beat the Pacers without Chet and other key players. Do you think they can do it?