How can the lowly Thunder succeed without Jaylen Williams, Isaiah Hartenstein

The Oklahoma City Thunder will undoubtedly have their hands full against All-Star Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks, like life without an All-Star Jalen Williams continues in the thin front field of the defending champions. There is no Isaiah Hartenstein or Jailin Williams to help Chet Holmgren, and no Alex Caruso to come off the bench, as The Thunder are down to 10 active players again for the match on Wednesday.

After being without Williams and Hartenstein for Monday’s game against the Cleveland Cavs, coach Mark Deino left Cleveland with two other injured players in Jaylin and Caruso, both of whom were ruled out against the Bucks. Fortunately for the Thunder, Holmgren caught fire in the fourth quarter, scoring 11 of his 28 points, including back-to-back 3-pointers early in the final frame, and a dagger that sealed the Cavs’ 136-104 victory.

Holmgren was 11-for-16 from the floor, including 4-for-5 from deep. He also finished with eight rebounds and two blocks, as his 28-point performance is the kind of production that will lead the Thunder to wins amid huge losses in Williams and Hartenstein in Oklahoma City’s starting frontcourt.

Before facing the Bucks, Holmgren addressed the Thunder current obstacles and what his team needs to do to fill the void left by the absences of Jaylen Williams and Isaiah Hartenstein.

“Injuries are part of basketball. We never want to miss someone, but understanding that it’s part of basketball, and it happens,” Holmgren said. “Every team deals with that. You can’t use that as an excuse. So you’ve got to go out there and try to win games. That’s not trying to visibly fill any holes or voids, it’s just continuing to break down what we do; what we do well.”

Relying on its defensive identity, the Thunder forced the Cavs into 21 turnovers, which led to 23 points, as the defending champions were led by reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander with 30 points on 12-for-20 shooting. It’s an impressive feat for the Thunder, who are missing the team’s No. 2 all-defense forward in Jalen Williams and its defensive staple in Caruso.

But is it sustainable in the long term?

Looking for consistent, clean 3-point looks is key for the Thunder

After watching Isaiah Joe connect on 79 3-pointers at a 41.8% clip ahead of this year’s 3-point contest, Thunder forward Chet Holmgren urged the NBA to invite Joe participate. Joe is 10-for-16 in his last four games as his 3-point touch has heated up lately, which is great news for the shortstop Thunder.

In a game where the Thunder finished 49% from deep, Joe (four), Chet Holmgren (four) and Lou Dort (five) combined for 13 of the Thunder’s 23 three-pointers, matching a season high against the Cavs. The defending champion’s top-ranked defense created open looks on the opposite end of the floor.

The Thunder took advantage of defensive stops, which led to plenty of 3-pointers. For Holmgren, Joe shooting a career-best 41.8% from three makes his team tough to beat, especially when the threes fall as a team effort, like in Monday’s win against the Cavs.

“That’s extremely valuable. When someone shoots 40 (percent) from three, that doesn’t always mean they can kill you from deep. If someone shoots 40 from three in 1.2 attempts, they’re not really going to beat you doing that. But if you give Zay space, he can pick them up pretty quickly,” Holmgren said. “That’s really what makes him so dangerous; his ability to get that shot in different ways. But also, shoot 40 percent while you’re doing it.”

“For a lot of people, if you increase their volume, their efficiency would go down, and that’s just not the case with him. So, we just have to keep looking for him, keep using him that way because it’s a talent that works in our favor when we use it right.”

While making 23 threes isn’t sustainable, creating open looks from beyond the arc is. And while the Thunder have at least six active players shooting better than 37% from three this season, including Joe, Holmgren, Dort, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Aaron Wiggins and Kenrich Williams, all six are making their presence felt on defense.

However, size will remain a significant obstacle for the Thunder.

How will the Thunder make up for their lack of size?

Despite being outplayed, which has been a regular occurrence since the loss of Isaiah Hartenstein in December, the Thunder have won with their transition defense and interchangeable lineups. Thunder veteran Kenrich Williams was the common denominator for those lineups, as the forward filled in full time, including closing out tight games, such as his 21 points in a 117-116 win against the Grizzlies earlier this month.

The veteran forward is now one of coach Marc Daigneault’s most valuable players, especially without All-Star forward Jaylen Williams, who at times reprises his role as center from last season when the Thunder were without Hartenstein and Chet Holmgren. However, against one of the most explosive scorers in Giannis Antetokounmpo, it will be interesting to see how the defending champions can contain his impact.

It’s a great test for Holmgren and the Thunder shortstop as he approaches his first All-Star selection. Holmgren, who Cavs head coach Kenny Atkinson called one of the best rim protectors in the NBA, will continue to solidify the defense and will face one of his biggest challenges in Antetokounmpo. Holmgren is the favorite to win this year’s Defensive Player of the Year award.

The Thunder will wrap up their four-game road trip before heading home for a three-game stretch, starting with the Pacers and Raptors on Friday and Sunday, before wrapping up with the Pelicans on Tuesday at the Paico Center.