The Oklahoma City Thunder will enter Tuesday’s game against the Chicago Bulls without several key contributors, including Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (abdominal strain) and Jalen Williams (right hamstring strain). Branden Carlson, Isaiah Hartenstein, and Ajay Mitchell also remain sidelined due to injuries, while Nikola Topic is on a G League assignment.
Chicago faces its own roster challenges with multiple players unavailable. Zach Collins and Noa Essengue are recovering from surgeries, while Jaden Ivey, Anfernee Simons, Jalen Smith, and Patrick Williams are all listed as out due to injuries ranging from fractures to strains.
Oklahoma City comes off back-to-back wins, including a 100-87 road victory over the Dallas Mavericks and a 127-121 overtime win against the Denver Nuggets. The team currently holds a 47-15 record, leading the Western Conference.
The Bulls are 25-36 this season, sitting 12th in the Eastern Conference. They rebounded from a 112-121 home loss to the Portland Trail Blazers with a commanding 120-97 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks in their most recent outing.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander leads the Thunder with 31.8 points, 6.4 assists, and 4.4 rebounds per game, while Chet Holmgren adds 17.2 points and 9.0 rebounds. Jalen Williams, averaging 17.5 points, has missed recent contests, affecting Oklahoma City’s secondary scoring.
Chicago’s top contributors include Josh Giddey, averaging 17.8 points and 8.4 assists, and Matas Buzelis with 15.4 points and 5.5 rebounds per game.
Tuesday’s game at United Center, tip-off at 8:00 PM ET, will mark the first meeting between the two teams this season.
