The good news is that Nerlens Noel is improving. The bad news – he’s still out and will not play against the Lakers on Saturday.
Per Maddie Lee of The Oklahoman, Thunder head coach Billy Donovan gave the update on Noel’s status Friday afternoon.
Nerlens Noel (left ankle sprain) will be out tomorrow against the Lakers, per Billy Donovan. No timetable for his return, but Donovan said Noel hasn’t experienced any setbacks.
— Maddie Lee (@maddie_m_lee) January 10, 2020
There is still no timetable for OKC’s center to return, but Noel has not suffered any setbacks in his recovery.
Noel first suffered the ankle injury on January 4 in Oklahoma City’s win over the Cavaliers. He was chasing a loose ball during the third quarter when he appeared to step on the foot of Tristan Thompson, rolling his ankle at an awkward angle.
Noel left the game against the Cavs and did not return.
He missed the Thunder’s games against Philadelphia, Brooklyn, and Houston following the injury.
Oklahoma City had recalled Justin Patton for those games to help give the Thunder some size and depth on the bench, but he, along with Deonte Burton were reassigned to the OKC Blue on Friday afternoon.
Noel is not known much for his scoring, however, he brings a solid defensive presence.
Per NBA.com, Noel is 13th in the league in blocks per game, averaging 1.5 per contest. He’s also fourth on the Thunder in rebounding, pulling down 5.1 boards per game.
Oklahoma City tips off against the Lakers inside Chesapeake Energy Arena at 7 p.m. CT on Saturday night.