Update: It’s officially an ankle injury for Giddey and he will not be coming back to this game. Cason Wallace replaced him in the lineup to start the second half.
Oklahoma City Thunder guard Josh Giddey went to the locker room Thursday after suffering a leg injury against the Los Angeles Clippers. Giddey was driving and slipped, causing the issue.
Josh Giddey slipped on a drive and looked to really injure his left lower leg/ankle. He’s able to limp to the locker room but he knew in an instant he was hurt.
— Andrew Greif (@AndrewGreif) December 22, 2023
It’s an unfortunate injury for Giddey, who was playing well with 11 points, four assists and three rebounds in 14 minutes of action. The Thunder guard has been under a lot of scrutiny off the court, but continues to start for the team as the legal process and league investigation plays out. The Thunder have been one of the top teams in the West after making the play-in tournament last season, a sign this team is set to be a contender in the coming years as the roster keeps improving.
If Giddey is unable to return, look for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Lu Dort to be the primary backcourt players for Oklahoma City. We could see Aaron Wiggins and Cason Wallace also getting more minutes, but SGA and Dort figure to be the biggest beneficiaries in terms of usage.