By sweeping the Phoenix Suns in the first round, the top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder earned nearly a full week of rest before the Western Conference semifinals tip off.
Now, after the Los Angeles Lakers eliminated the Houston Rockets in six games, Oklahoma City knows its second-round opponent. While Luka Dončić’s availability is a big question mark entering the series, the Thunder have an injured star of their own. What is Jalen Williams’ status heading into Game 1 against Los Angeles?
Jalen Williams Injury Update: Latest on Thunder Star’s Status and Return Timeline
Williams went down with a left hamstring injury during the third quarter of Game 2 against the Suns on April 22 at the Paycom Center. After missing a contested layup with 6:26 left, Williams grabbed his left leg and later gestured toward the bench.
While the Thunder cruised to a 120-107 win and ultimately swept the Suns anyway, Williams’ injury now looms over OKC’s playoff run.
Williams is dealing with a Grade 1 hamstring strain, which Dr. Evan Jeffries explained often sidelines a player for one-to-two weeks. Had Williams suffered a Grade 2 strain (like Dončić), the timeline would have been closer to three-to-six weeks, so he dodged a bullet.
Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault confirmed that Williams’ diagnosis was “a relatively positive development” since “the injury could’ve been a lot worse.”
Prior to the injury, Williams had recorded 19 points, 4 assists, and 1 rebound in 23 minutes, while shooting 7-of-11 from the floor in OKC’s Game 2 win over Phoenix.
During the regular season, Williams averaged 17.1 points, 4.6 rebounds, 5.5 assists, and 1.2 steals per game. He struggled with his efficiency, shooting career-lows from the field (48.4%) and 3-point range (29.9%).
Williams appeared in just 33 games during the regular season, as he missed significant stretches while recovering from offseason wrist surgery and a pair of separate hamstring strains. OKC still managed to win an NBA-best 64 games and secure the West’s No. 1 seed with the 25-year-old bouncing in and out of the lineup.
It’s unclear if Williams has a chance to play in Game 1 against the Thunder. Because the Detroit Pistons and Toronto Raptors forced Game 7s in their respective series, Game 1 of Thunder-Lakers is on Tuesday rather than Sunday. This is good news for Williams, as it gives him extra time to treat his hamstring and make progress.
Williams’ availability for Game 1 against the Lakers is up in the air and largely depends on how he responds to treatment. Monday’s injury report will reveal whether OKC has listed Williams as questionable or ruled out. Even if he cannot play in Game 1, a return shortly after seems possible for Williams.
Los Angeles knows a thing or two about missing a key player due to a hamstring injury, as Dončić has yet to play in this postseason while he battles his Grade 2 strain. The Lakers survived Houston thanks to a vintage performances from 41-year-old LeBron James and Kevin Durant’s absence, but they’ll need Austin Reaves at 100% and Dončić back in the lineup in order to challenge the juggernaut that is OKC.
However, unfortunately for the Lakers, Dončić is “not close” to returning, according to ESPN’s Brian Windhorst.
“Most likely you’re not gonna see Luka Dončić at the front end of this series, maybe at least for another week to 10 days… [at] the minimum,” Windhorst said.
Both teams will be anxiously monitoring hamstrings and focusing on treatment in the lead-up to Game 1, so be sure to check back on Monday for the latest on both stars’ availability.
