With the OKC Thunder – Houston Rockets first-round series set there isn’t a need to rush Dennis Schroder back for a meaningless Friday match.
In the pregame media presser, OKC Thunder head coach Billy Donovan touched on the fact everyone except Dennis Schroder was available to play against the Miami Heat. The coach also confirmed Schroder is back inside the bubble.
The Sixth Man of the Year candidate has certainly been missed. And while there were positive benefits of getting Shai Gilgeous-Alexander extra time running the point it also exposed issues.
Part of the reason for the stilted offense is as simple as Shai hasn’t played that much as the primary playmaker this season. It also points out precisely how valuable and steady Chris Paul is and how he’s affected the club. Clearly, Schroder is also a point guard with years of running offenses and is a player who could start on many teams.
It definitely offered some insight on what the Thunder would look like if, for example, the franchise moved on from CP3 and Schroder. Their skillset combined with SGA is a key strength of this roster. This past week offered a small sample of how the removal of one-third of that three guard lineup negatively affected the offense.
No need to rush Dennis Schroder back for Friday:
Asked when Schroder will be back with the team Donovan confirmed he arrived back in Orlando on the evening of Monday, August 10th.
The coach didn’t want to elaborate beyond that stating it is up to the league and Dennis. Donovan noted Schroder dealt directly with the league and continues to.
Presumably, the NBA has set up a team or group that deals specifically with player exits and returns. Schroder was required to produce daily COVID-19 negative tests. Donovan’s full comments on the situation were aired on the media availability segment of the NBA official site.
Donovan was wont to give a definitive date when he’ll complete his quarantine which makes sense. Other players who left the bubble with team approval and met protocols quarantined for four days upon return, but the league has stated emphatically they will deal with each of the situations individually.
The exception to the four-day factor was Lou Williams who was deemed to have taken unnecessary risks while out of the bubble. In truth, LouWill was probably used as an example for the others in the bubble to deter anyone from pushing the envelope or to think the rules are laxer than they are.
If we assume the association will follow the four-day quarantine timeframe the next question will be when Dennis will be comfortable to play in games. Or rather, if he’ll be able to practice or play with the Thunder in their closeout match versus the Clippers on Friday at 6:30 p.m. ET (5:30 p.m. CT).
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Schroder posted a video on social media of him getting in workouts on a court, but was that enough for him to remain in ‘game condition?
In terms of testing, if you recall several of the media and players stated they would take a test in the morning – await the result that day and then repeat the process. What isn’t certain is when that test result arrives and whether it would be pushing the envelope to force the timing of Schroder’s return.
Sure, in an ideal world, getting in a few sets would be beneficial, but not worth risking injury.
As we now know the first-round opponent is the Rockets and former OKC Thunder stars Russell Westbrook and James Harden.
The league has yet to announce the precise dates for when each series will start. The West play-in tournament will start on Saturday, and if a second game is necessary, finish on Sunday.
That means every other club will have at a minimum Saturday and Sunday to practice.
With Luguentz Dort going down last evening and no update yet regarding his MRI, again it might be wise to exercise patience with regard to expediting Schroder’s return.
Regardless, it’s great Schroder is back in the bubble, the team missed his presence and weren’t able to ever fully look as fluid without him.
The German point guard is a master at pushing the pace and driving to the basket to score, create space, and get shots for others. He’ll be a major factor for this upcoming series especially if Lu Dort is out for any extended period of time.
We’ll update as there is more information on Schroder, Lu Dort, and the timetable for the series game dates.
In the interim, it’s a big day in the bubble with all four teams still alive in play-in tourney taking to the court.