Oklahoma City Thunder officials have declared that guard Ajay Mitchell will be unable to play in Sunday’s Game 4 of the Western Conference finals because of a strained right calf muscle.
The sophomore player, who has filled in as a starter for All-Star Jalen Williams on seven occasions during the first three playoff rounds, initially hurt his calf during the final moments of Game 2 in Oklahoma City. While he did take the court for Game 3’s opening tip, his performance was subpar. The injury flared up again with 8:19 remaining in the third quarter.
During that moment, Mitchell received a Flagrant 1 penalty for his contact with San Antonio’s Stephon Castle, exited the game, and remained on the sideline for the remainder of Oklahoma City’s 123-108 victory.
Williams, who put up 26 points in the series opener but managed just four points in seven minutes during Game 2, sat out Game 3 with a strained left hamstring. His status for Sunday’s contest in San Antonio is listed as questionable.
Following their opening game defeat, the defending champions now hold a 2-1 advantage in the series.
During the regular season, Mitchell significantly improved his offensive production from his first year, posting 13.6 points per contest. His free-throw accuracy ranked 23rd league-wide at 87%, and he earned fifth place in Sixth Man of the Year consideration.
Mitchell’s postseason performance has been even more impressive, contributing 15.1 points and 4.3 assists per game across 11 playoff appearances.
Cason Wallace, a third-year guard who contributed 8.6 points per game in the regular season and 8.1 points through 11 playoff contests, is anticipated to get the starting nod for Game 4.
