Just over halfway through the frame, Holmgren jumped up to contest a layup attempt by Warriors forward Andrew Wiggins. When Wiggins made contact with Holmgren’s upper half, his lower half tilted parallel to the ground as he fell hard to the ground. The brunt of the impact appeared to fall on Holmgren’s right hip and side.
The 7-foot-1 big man gave a thumbs up as he headed to the Paycom Center locker room, but did not return to the game.
Holmgren, who finished scoreless with four rebounds in five minutes of action, is off to a fantastic start in his second season. He has increased his numbers across the board, entering Sunday’s game with averages of 18 points and nine rebounds. His 2.9 blocks per game earned him second place in the championship. NBA.
The timing of Holmgren’s injury is not ideal for the Thunder (8-2). Prized offseason acquisition Isaiah Hartenstein, who would be next in line at center, is still out after breaking his left hand during a preseason gamewhile backup center Jaylin Williams will miss at least a couple more weeks with a hamstring injury. Oklahoma City coach Mark Daigneault will likely have to rely on small lineups while Holmgren is out unless the front office makes a move to help the roster until Hartenstein returns. Last season, the Thunder signed Bismack Biyombo as a late-season center safety, but he barely played. Oklahoma City’s style of play depends on having a big man who can space the floor, and given the rarity of such players, the already undersized Thunder may choose to ride out Holmgren’s injury and make do with what they have.
