It finally felt like the Thunder were getting healthy after a series of injuries over the last six weeks.
Dennis Schroder and Danilo Gallinari are both back and playing well after missing time due to ankle soreness.
Hamidou Diallo returned this week after sitting out 17 games with a hyperextended right elbow, and at times on Saturday looked like he never missed any time at all (like when he threw down a particularly vicious dunk in the fourth quarter of OKC’s win over Cleveland).
But the Thunder might be down a center after Nerlens Noel suffered a nasty-looking ankle roll on Saturday night.
Billy Donovan told reporters after the game that he doesn’t know the extent of the injury.
“Do not know the severity of it at all. Generally with those things you really don’t find out till the next morning to see if there’s any swelling.”
The injury occurred during the third quarter when Noel gave chase to a loose ball that was headed out of bounds. When he tried to stop himself, he stepped on the left foot of Tristan Thompson. His left ankle buckled underneath him and Noel collapsed underneath the basket.
He left the game and did not return.
As noted by Erik Horne of The Athletic, Noel’s loss could have significant implications because of how well he’s been playing during the Thunder’s winning streak.
Over the last ten games, Noel has been averaging 8.2 points with 1.4 blocks and 1.3 steals in 18.8 minutes per game.
