How OKC Thunder 'made A Habit' Of Adapting During Chet Holmgren's Injury Absence

From the moment Chet Holmgren spilled onto the Paycom Center floor on Nov. 10, his teammates were there to lift him up.

Isaiah Hartenstein and Jaylin Williams were the first responders for the fallen Thunder star, who landed on his hip while contesting a shot during a game against the Golden State Warriors. And as they helped Holmgren gingerly walk into the tunnel, each resting one of his arms on their backs, they offered him some words of encouragement.

"I was trying to tell him I'm with him," Williams told The Oklahoman. "Throughout whatever it is, whatever he needs, I got him."

Holmgren's teammates didn't just come to his aid that night. They had his back throughout the next 39 games while he was sidelined with a right iliac wing fracture.

From Jalen Williams standing tall as a 6-foot-5 center to Branden Carlson leaving a lasting impression while on two 10-day contracts, it took a group effort for OKC (41-9) to fill Holmgren's size 16 shoes.

And when Holmgren returned during OKC's 121-109 home win over Toronto on Friday, 89 days after he sustained his injury, he didn't return to a team struggling to stay afloat.

He returned to a team that conquered the rough waters to a league-best record.

"The team has proven to be very adaptive and able to pivot in a lot of different situations," head coach Mark Daigneault said. "And that flexibility is important. It's one thing to develop a consistent style or a consistent role. It's quite another thing to be able to adapt in games or in portions of a season, and this team has made a habit of that."

Here's how the Thunder adapted in Holmgren's absence:

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Jalen Williams comes up big as undersized center

Oklahoma City Thunder forward Jalen Williams (8) goes beside Toronto Raptors guard Immanuel Quickley (5) during an NBA basketball game between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Toronto Raptors at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Friday, Feb. 7, 2025.

Jalen Williams doesn't know for sure if he has ever participated in an opening jump ball. He thinks he might've when he was like 8, but that was forever ago for the 23-year-old forward.

And yet there he was, preparing to jump during OKC's game against the Los Angeles Clippers on Nov. 11, less than 24 hours after Holmgren sustained his injury.

It was a desperate measure for the Thunder. Hartenstein was out with a left hand fracture. Jaylin Williams was out with a right hamstring strain. Even Kenrich Williams, a break-glass-in-case-of-emergency option, was still easing his way back into things after undergoing an arthroscopic debridement procedure in his right knee.

That left 6-5 Jalen Williams to make his first career appearance at center. And he attempted to jump against a 7-foot Ivica Zubac, who couldn't help but comment on the lopsided matchup.

"You guys need your five back," Zubac told Williams.

Williams didn't win the jump ball, of course. But he did rise to the occasion for OKC after that.

For the next six games, he went to war with 7-footers such as Zubac, Dallas' Dereck Lively II and Phoenix's Jusuf Nurkic. And even though Williams lost some battles — a casualty of not having the high ground — he never retreated.

Williams averaged 26.2 points and 7.3 rebounds in 33.5 minutes during that stretch, and he helped the Thunder go 4-2.

"I've kind of thrown out the idea of my natural position," said Williams, who even played some point-guard minutes at Santa Clara. "I don't want to say it limits me, but I just do so much on the court, or at least I try to. I've kind of gotten away from that."

Williams' efforts have been rewarded.

The third-year forward earned his first All-Star selection this season. It's a well-deserved accolade for a player whose versatility has played a key role in OKC's dominant play.

"I'm really happy for him" Daigneault said. "He's just stayed inside the team. He's done whatever we've needed him to do. He's stayed focused on growth and improvement. ... I'm happy for him, and I'm happy for our team. I think this selection is also a result of our team success. It's a reflection of that."

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Isaiah Hartenstein anchors short-handed Thunder

Nov 20, 2024; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder center Isaiah Hartenstein (55) celebrates a dunk between Portland Trail Blazers center Donovan Clingan (23) and forward Toumani Camara (33) during the second half at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

Hartenstein couldn't use his left hand much during the start of the season, but that didn't stop him from using his other one.

The injured center could regularly be seen on OKC's bench, holding three fingers in the air with his right hand after every made 3-pointer. And whenever the Thunder called a timeout, he made sure to dap up his teammates.

But even with one hand available, Hartenstein couldn't scratch his itch. He was eager to make his OKC debut, and he finally did so during a game against Portland on Nov. 20.

Hartenstein racked up 13 points, 14 rebounds and four blocks in 29 minutes, and he helped the Thunder earn a 109-99 victory. It was a strong showing by the 7-footer, who was happy to lend a helping hand to a Thunder squad that needed some size.

"It felt really good," Hartenstein said after the win. "Just getting out there and doing the little stuff again, trying to help the team, was great. ... It was really fun."

Hartenstein kept doing the little stuff from that point on.

He cleared the way with screens, giving scorers such as Shai Gilgeous-Alexander more space than the plains of Oklahoma to shoot. He feasted on the glass with the hunger of a player starving to get back on the court.

Hartenstein started in all but one of his 29 appearances during Holmgren's absence. He averaged 11.4 points, 12.2 rebounds and 4.3 assists in 29.3 minutes.

"He makes the game so much easier for everybody else," Gilgeous-Alexander said. "I think that's what's special about him. He fits right in, and he'd fit right in with any team in the league. He screens. He rolls. He makes the right play. He's skilled. Every situation as a big he has an answer for."

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Jaylin Williams needs no introduction

Oklahoma City forward Jaylin Williams (6) is interviewed after an NBA game between Oklahoma City and Milwaukee at the Paycom Center in Oklahoma City on Monday, Feb. 3, 2025.

Hartenstein thrived during Holmgren's absence. But when he suffered a left soleus (calf) strain in the middle of January, OKC turned to Jaylin Williams.

The third-year forward made his first start of the season on Jan. 16 in a home game against Cleveland. It also marked a game between the NBA's top two teams, and the PA announcer could barely be heard over the roars of the crowd as he read OKC's starting lineup.

But when Williams' name was called, he didn't rise from his seat on the bench like the other starters. He was already standing near the free-throw line, giving out handshakes and firing up his teammates.

It should come as no surprise if you know Williams, who's one of OKC's most unselfish players.

"I really just want to see my teammates succeed," Williams said. "I've always been a team-first guy."

Williams didn't care for the spotlight that came with being introduced as a starter, and he continued to help his teammates shine instead during the absence of Holmgren and Hartenstein.

Williams' floor spacing gave scorers such as Gilgeous-Alexander room to operate. And despite being an elite glue guy, the ball never stuck to his hands as he regularly found the open man.

Williams started in five straight outings, which included a game against Cleveland and two against Dallas. He averaged 9.2 points and 6.2 rebounds in 23.6 minutes. The Thunder went 3-2.

Williams then returned to his usual bench role, which was perfectly fine.

"Honestly, starting or not starting, it doesn't matter to me," Williams said. "It's just being there for my teammates and being that same guy that I always am."

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Branden Carlson makes every day count

Oklahoma City center Branden Carlson (15) celebrates a 3-pointer in the first quarter during an NBA game between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Cleveland Cavaliers at the Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, on Thursday, Jan. 16, 2025.

Six games.

That's how much time Carlson had to fill the highlight reel of his audition tape when OKC signed him to a 10-day contract on Jan. 10. The undrafted center had been waived by the Thunder three days earlier, but now had another chance to contribute to a team that desperately needed big bodies.

And he made the most of it.

Carlson provided solid production in his six outings, averaging 5.5 points and 2.3 rebounds in 9.2 minutes. He did his best to replicate Holmgren's floor spacing by going 9 for 17 from deep (52.9%), and he even sank a few of Hartenstein's trademarked push floaters in the paint.

"I've just kind of always been ready for my opportunities whenever I get them," Carlson told The Oklahoman. "When I had my name called, you're just ready to go because you put in the reps and the time."

Carlson earned a second 10-day contract, which was the last one OKC could give before it had to either release him or sign him for the rest of the season. It chose the latter.

OKC waived Daniel Theis on Friday to free up a roster spot, which it gave to Ajay Mitchell. It upgraded the rookie guard from a two-way deal to a two-year, $6 million contract.

That freed up a two-way spot. And the Thunder gave it to Carlson, who was with his wife when he got the news.

"We were excited to finally put the pen to paper," Carlson said. "I think it's nice that you know what's coming forward now instead of just like, 'What's next?' It's nice to be able to be here, work around these guys and just continue to work on my game."

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Ready to rumble

Most teams would go through some dark times if they lost a star as bright as Holmgren to injury.

But not the Thunder, which weathered the storm to retain its spot atop the league. And with Holmgren now back in the mix, OKC is poised to compete for its first championship in franchise history.

The big man is eager to lift his team, just like it did for him.

"I missed it for a long time," Holmgren said. "I worked really hard to be able to get back out there. I'm happy and excited. I look forward to continuing to try to help us win and keep improving."

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: OKC Thunder 'made a habit' of adapting during Chet Holmgren's absence