Oklahoma City gets important injury information for the Hornets game

After missing six straight games with a back injury, Oklahoma City Thunder guard Lou DortUser status has been upgraded for Saturday’s game against the Charlotte Hornets. The The Thunder improved to 12-1 after two impressive wins against the Golden State Warriors and the Los Angeles Lakers at the Pace Center.

Oklahoma City’s game against the Hornets kicks off a two-game road trip that could begin with Dort back in uniform after his questionable status with the Thunder injury report. Aaron Wiggins remains sidelined with a left adductor strain, making Saturday’s game against the Hornets his fifth straight.

The Thunder’s second-year guard, Ajay Mitchell, starts in place of Dort and continues to impress during his early season. He scored in double figures in 12 of 13 games, including a game-high 26 points in a double-overtime 141-135 victory over the Indiana Pacers.

Mitchell is averaging 16.9 points on 46.2% shooting, 3.8 assists, 3.8 rebounds and 1.8 steals per game this season.

How the Thunder’s Ajay Mitchell Earned the Jalen Brunson Comparison

Thunder Keeper Ajay Mitchell has put the league on notice this season as the 2024 second-round pick moved from third baseman to one of Thunder head coach Mark Dayno’s options. Mitchell’s defense earned him playing time during his freshman season, but improvement in that area of ​​the floor, along with playmaking and efficient scoring, unlocks 28.1 minutes per game.

The Ringer’s Bill Simmons see the younger version Knicks All-Star Jaylen Brunson at Mitchell from Brunson’s days with the Mavericks, he said, according to The Bill Simmons Podcast.

“The way he plays reminds me a little bit of when Brunson was in Dallas,” Simmons said. “Brunson had a lot of time on those teams in Dallas where you’d watch him and wonder, is this guy really good or am I crazy? Could this guy be the starting point guard on a really good team, or am I crazy? And you just watch him. He was like this finished product, and he was kind of a luxury on the sidelines for the Mavs.”

“And I’m just wondering, with Mitchell, I’m sure these other GMs are looking at this Thunder team, because there’s no way they’re going to be able to pay all these guys.”

Fortunately for the Thunder, that’s a bridge the organization won’t have to cross this season, with the defending champions looking better than last year despite playing without All-Star Jaylen Williams.