Thunder’s Holmgren out at least 8-10 weeks

Oklahoma City will be without center/forward Chet Holmgren for eight to 10 weeks.
The team announced Sunday that Holmgren sustained a right iliac wing fracture during the first quarter of Sunday’s 127-116 home loss to the Golden State Warriors. Per the team, he is expected to return this season.

Holmgren, 22, is in his second NBA season and is averaging 16.4 points, 8.7 rebounds, 2 assists and 2.6 blocks per game while playing 26.5 minutes per game. He has recorded four double-doubles and ranks No. 3 in the NBA in blocks per game, trailing only the San Antonio Spurs’ Victor Wembanyama (4.0 bpg) and Utah Jazz’s Walker Kessler (2.8)
It’s a big loss for a team that started the season with seven straight wins and currently is tied for the Western Conference lead with an 8-2 record. Holmgren was runner-up for Rookie of the Year last season and has been one of the league’s most efficient players this season.
Holmgren contested a layup by Andrew Wiggins, collided with him and hit the floor hard. He immediately reached for his right hip and stayed down for a while before he was helped off the court. He did not put pressure on his right leg, but he gave a thumbs-up as he hobbled off.
The Thunder led 16-12 when Holmgren was taken out and eventually fell behind by 30 late in the third quarter.
Oklahoma City entered Sunday night leading the league in defensive rating but didn’t look like it in the second and third quarters without the team’s anchor in the paint. The 7-foot-1 Holmgren is one of the league’s top shot blockers, and he is agile enough to defend guards when he has to switch.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.