The defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder finished with a record of 64-18, which was the league’s best mark for the second consecutive season. They have gone 9-1 in the 2026 postseason and are three games away from going back to the finals.
Perhaps most impressive is that they’ve done most of this without rising star Jalen Williams, who is currently battling a hamstring issue. He was limited to just 33 games and has appeared in just four postseason games.
Is Jalen Williams Playing Against the Spurs in Game 3 Friday Night?
Williams played in games 1 and 2 of their first-round series against the Phoenix, but missed six consecutive contests, including their entire sweep of the Lakers in the second round, before returning for the Thunder’s Game 1 loss to the Spurs.
Williams scored 26 points and pulled down seven rebounds, showing signs of the player who put up 21.4 points per game during last year’s championship run.
However, he lasted just seven minutes before exiting the Thunder’s game 2 victory that tied the series. Now, the question is whether or not Williams will be on the floor Friday night.
Appearing on the Pat McAfee Show, ESPN Insider Shams Charania gave the latest on Williams’ status.
“J-Dub, Jalen Williams, he’s got a hamstring injury,” Charania explained. It’s his left hamstring. It’s a recurring injury for J-Dub. He missed about four weeks. He had a left hamstring strain on April 22, and the other night, less than one month later, he suffered another left hamstring injury.”
The most recent update on Williams is that he will be ruled out for tonight’s clash against San Antonio. Charania has reported that it is due to a recurring hamstring injury.
Even without Williams, the Thunder have looked like the best team in the league throughout the season, but they’ll have to be as good as they have been all year if they want to win Game 3 in San Antonio and take control of the series.
Game 3 tips off at 8:30 p.m. ET at Frost Bank Center. Harper and Fox are also set to return; the Spurs have a great advantage while Williams watches from the sidelines. Fox is the Spurs’ primary ball-handler, and the Spurs will be able to run their offense better through him.
Wembanyama is already performing at a high level, and Fox’s elite playmaking and vision will only make the French superstar perform better. It will be interesting to see if OKC has the answers to the Spurs’ questions tonight, as fans can surely expect another classic playoff clash.
