Isaiah Joe is off the Thunder injury report for Game 4 against the Suns on Monday night in Phoenix, and he is expected to return after missing Game 3 for personal reasons. Oklahoma City takes the floor with a 3-0 series lead after winning Game 3 on Saturday afternoon.
The Thunder’s latest report also listed Jalen Williams out with a hamstring strain and Thomas Sorber out with a torn ACL, according to a team injury update circulated Monday. Phoenix answered with its own injury news, ruling out Mark Williams because of a left foot third metatarsal stress reaction and listing Jordan Goodwin as questionable with a left calf strain.
Joe’s availability matters because Oklahoma City can close out the series with another win, and getting him back gives the Thunder another rotation piece as the matchup shifts to Phoenix. He missed Game 3, but the team now has him available for a night that could put the first-round series out of reach.
The tension for Oklahoma City is that the Thunder remain short-handed even with Joe back, and the Suns are trying to protect home court after falling behind 3-0. Monday night offers Phoenix one last chance to extend the series, while the Thunder try to finish the job without letting the door back open.
