Oklahoma City Thunder guard Thabo Sefolosha will miss 4-to-6 weeks due a calf strain after an MRI confirmed the injury, according to The Oklahoman's Darnell Mayberry. Sefolosha initially went down during a game Friday night against Memphis.
Thabo Sefolosha injury: Calf strain could keep Thunder guard out 4-6 weeks
The Thunder guard underwent an MRI and learned he will be out longer than expected, opening the door for second-year pro Perry Jones III.
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As OKC’s starting shooting guard, Sefolosha has averaged 6.7 points and 3.7 rebounds per game this season.
Mayberry reports that forward Perry Jones III will take over the starting spot. The 6'8 forward and 2012 draft pick will have a prolonged opportunity to show his value, starting against the Charlotte Bobcats on Sunday night.
The new starting lineup gives the Thunder quite the impressive defensive lineup, with four players -- Jones, Kevin Durant, Serge Ibaka and Steven Adams -- taller than 6'10 and boasting wingspans greater than 7'. While Sefolosha was primarily a perimeter defender, Jones has shown the ability to lock down both swingmen and power forwards. On top of it all, Jones will have extended minutes to show where he's at as a shooter, something Sefolosha was struggling to do by hitting just 33 percent of his three-pointers this year.
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Jones is averaging 12 minutes per game but hitting 50 percent of his shots and 39 percent from three-point range in 2013-14. The 22-year-old out of Baylor was once considered a top-five talent but slipped before being taken 28th overall in the 2012 NBA Draft.
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