Thunder Optimistic Chet Holmgren Will Return Before End Of Regular Season

Chet Holmgren‘s recovery from a right iliac wing fracture is progressing, but the Oklahoma City Thunder announced on Friday that the big man will be reevaluated in about three-to-five weeks.Chet Holmgren, Thunder, NBA

The injury, which Holmgren sustained on November 10, had initially been expected to keep him sidelined for eight-to-10 weeks.

With that window now nearing its end, the Thunder are taking a cautious approach, though there remains optimism that he could be back before the regular season wraps.

Holmgren’s absence has not derailed the Thunder’s remarkable season. The team has gone an impressive 26-4 without him, with Isaiah Hartenstein filling in as the starting center for most of that stretch.

However, injuries have also kept Hartenstein on the sidelines at times — he’s currently out with a left soleus strain — meaning the Thunder still haven’t seen their ideal frontcourt of Hartenstein and Holmgren together.

While there’s hope that pairing could come to fruition before the playoffs, it’ll likely depend on Holmgren’s continued recovery over the next few weeks.

Before his injury, Holmgren was off to an excellent start to his sophomore campaign, averaging 18.2 points, 9.2 rebounds, and 2.9 blocks in just under 29 minutes per game. His shooting splits (.519 from the field, .400 from deep, and .776 from the line) showed his offensive game was already rounding into form, making the Thunder even more dangerous once he returns.

In other injury news, the Thunder are keeping an eye on Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who missed Friday’s loss at Dallas with a sore right wrist.

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