Oklahoma City Thunder forward Darius Bazley answered the first question of the press conference following the game against the Philadelphia 76ers with a big smile.
“Man, to not play since like All-Star and to finally be able to play, it’s amazing,” he said. “I was itching, just wanting to play.”
In the 117-93 loss, Bazley saw his first action since March 4. He had a shoulder injury that prevented him from playing for more than five weeks.
The forward scored a team-high 17 points on 7-for-12 shooting and drained three of the four 3-pointers he attempted. He also had nine rebounds and five assists, though he did have nine turnovers.
All in all, it was a positive return, one that head coach Mark Daigneault was pleased with.
Bazley was thrilled to be back on the court.
“Being on the sideline, there’s nothing like cheering your teammates on, but nothing compares to actually really being on the floor,” he said. “It felt good being back out there.”
He said he had fractured his scapula (shoulder blade), which helps connect the humerus to the collarbone.
Daigneault had previously said the injury, which was on Bazley’s shooting arm, created pain when the forward tried to shoot.
“The rehab was just treatment, just trying to get strength back in the shoulder,” Bazley said. “Working on movement, trying to get tolerance of pain. That’s all it was, every day, just staying consistent with that.”
Bazley’s return came a little bit ahead of schedule, Daigneault said.
“I give him a lot of credit for his return to play, that’s easier said than done,” the coach said.
The Thunder have 19 more games this season, which will give the 20-year-old a handful of chances to continue his development as a second-year pro.
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