The Thunder have had a tough time in recent weeks, but they finally got some relief.

On Wednesday, Oklahoma City beat the Portland Trail Blazers 109-99 at home on the second night of a back-to-back. The Thunder got a much-needed win before starting a road trip, but they won’t take the floor again until Monday night in Sacramento.

Oklahoma City’s four days between games is the most it will have all season, not including the NBA Cup and All-Star breaks. Given how chaotic the past few weeks have been for the Thunder, this layoff couldn’t have come at a better time.

Perhaps most notably, it allows a couple of key players to recover from injuries without feeling the need to rush back for a game. Isaiah Joe has missed the past two games with a calf contusion and Alex Caruso re-aggravated his hip injury against Portland.

While their status for the next game will be unknown until the injury report is released on Sunday, any extra time they get without missing games is a luxury. Injuries aside, the break is simply a perfect time for healthy players to rest after how they’ve had to play in recent games.

Although Isaiah Hartenstein returned Wednesday, the Thunder had played the previous six games without a center following Chet Holmgren’s injury. With Jalen Williams moving into the center position, he held down the middle and battled with some of the most physical bigs in the league during that stretch.

But considering Williams is 6-foot-6 and 220 pounds, a return to forward is a welcome sight for the rising star after taking a beating recently. He’s also far from the only player who had to battle inside, making this break a well-timed rest for the entire team.

Of course, the break also helps Oklahoma City prepare for a West Coast road trip. Next week, the Thunder face the Sacramento Kings, Golden State Warriors and Los Angeles Lakers.

Facing three tough teams fighting for playoff positioning will be a tough task, but with a little extra time to prepare, it could be a statement trip for the Thunder to end November.

Want to join the discussion? As Thunder on SI on Facebook and follow us on Twitter to stay updated on the latest Thunder news. You can too meet the team behind the cover.