Oklahoma City Thunder coach Mark Daigneault was prescient in the aftermath of Chet Holmgren’s injury on Nov. 10.
“This is a resilient, tough, competitive team,” Daigneault said in early November. “And that’s what we’re going to be regardless of the circumstances.”
The Thunder proved Daigneault correct, going 32-7 without Holmgren, their 7-foot-1 center who finished second in Rookie of the Year voting a year ago.
Oklahoma City didn’t make a significant move at the trade deadline but will still get a major post-deadline boost with the return of Holmgren, who suffered a pelvic fracture nearly three months ago.
Holmgren is expected to return Friday when the Thunder host the Toronto Raptors.
Holmgren was excellent before the injury, averaging 16.4 points, 8.7 rebounds and 2.6 blocks in 10 games.
Though Oklahoma City will still be without Cason Wallace, who will miss his third consecutive game with a right shoulder strain, but will have their most intact lineup of the season.
Isaiah Hartenstein missed the season’s first 15 games, so the Thunder’s two 7-footers have yet to appear in the same game since the regular season began.
Hartenstein is averaging a career-best 11.4 points and 12.2 rebounds in 29 games.
Oklahoma City comes into Friday’s game on a three-game winning streak, prevailing by an average of more than 31 points per game. The streak also includes the Thunder’s two highest-scoring games of the season.
In Wednesday’s 140-109 win over Phoenix, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 50 points for the third time in his career. All have come over the last seven games, during which time he has averaged over 40 points per game.
“He’s been on this one for a while,” Daigneault said. “But continues to defend, continues to do all the other things. Going to basketball, it hasn’t turned into like an individual spectacle. He’s just inside the team. He blends it into the game. … It’s allowed our team not to like stop everything to watch him score.”
Oklahoma City’s only apparent move at the deadline that affected the roster was the addition of another big man, adding reserve center Daniel Theis from New Orleans. The Thunder, though, decided to waive Theis on Thursday.
Toronto also made a deal with the Pelicans, acquiring forward Brandon Ingram. Ingram hasn’t played since Dec. 7 due to a sprained left ankle. In the deal, the Raptors sent Bruce Brown Jr., Kelly Olynyk, a first-round pick (top-four protected via the Indiana Pacers in 2026) and one second-round pick to New Orleans.
The Raptors also traded Davion Mitchell to Miami in exchange for P.J. Tucker, a future second-round pick and cash considerations.
Toronto has dropped two straight after winning six of its previous seven. Scottie Barnes, its second-leading scorer at 19.9 points per game, missed 14 of 18 shots in a 138-107 setback to Memphis on Wednesday — the Raptors’ largest loss of 2025.
Toronto will be without Jakob Poeltl (hip) and RJ Barrett (concussion protocol) for Friday’s game, leaving them quite a bit short-handed against the team with the NBA’s second-best record.
Friday’s game is the teams’ second and final meeting this season.
Oklahoma City won 129-92 in Toronto on Dec. 5, starting an 11-game Raptors losing streak. Following that loss, Toronto coach Darko Rajakovic said he used Oklahoma City as an example for his team.
“There’s a lot from us to look at that team and learn about the physicality they play with,” Rajakovic said, “how they’re aggressive.”
–Field Level Media
