Clippers face the unbeaten Thunder without Brandon Ingram, Bradley Beal and three others, as Darius Garland carries the load

The LA Clippers will play the unbeaten Oklahoma City Thunder on Sunday, October 25, without five players, including Brandon Ingram and Bradley Beal, as all five are listed as out on the league’s official injury report.

The list is unchanged from the Clippers’ first two games, which means Darius Garland and a reshuffled supporting cast carry a 1-1 team into its first road game against a contender. Max Strus, Jordan Miller and Yanic Konan Niederhauser complete the group.

Where each recovery stands

Ingram had surgery on his heel in May and is still at least a couple of weeks away, according to reports. Beal’s knee is being managed for pain, and the team has given no timetable for his return. Strus tore the plantar fascia in his foot during the preseason and is expected to miss the next few weeks.

Miller had rotator cuff surgery on his shoulder this offseason, and his absence is measured in months; our injury listings do not project him back before early March. Konan Niederhauser, the second-year center, is still building up after Lisfranc surgery on his foot last season. Ingram, Beal, Strus and Konan Niederhauser all carry an earliest return date of Sunday, November 8, on our NBA injury report page, which is a floor rather than a promise.

Underdog NBA’s list from Sunday’s official report shows the same five names:

Who plays the minutes

Darius Garland has carried the scoring load. He scored 30 on 11-of-19 shooting in the 121-96 home win over the Sacramento Kings, then 26 in the 125-117 loss to the Lakers, a night spoiled by nine turnovers. The expected starting group around him is Kris Dunn, Derrick Jones Jr., Rui Hachimura and Isaiah Jackson.

The bench has been the bright spot. Brook Lopez had 17 points and 11 rebounds against Sacramento and went 8 of 9 for 22 points with three blocks in under 20 minutes against the Lakers. Keaton Wagler has scored 15 and 13 off the bench, and Gradey Dick is getting a longer look with the wings thinned out.

Oklahoma City is close to whole. Nikola Topic (back) and Thomas Sorber (knee) are out, but neither was expected to be part of the regular rotation.

What comes next

The Clippers visit the Thunder on Sunday at 7 p.m. ET (2 a.m. Monday in Cairo): Clippers at Thunder Game Center. They return home to face the Lakers again on Wednesday, October 28, at 10:30 p.m. ET (5:30 a.m. Thursday in Cairo): Lakers at Clippers Game Center.