Key Points
Bullet point summary by AI
- The Oklahoma City Thunder are on the brink of their second straight NBA Finals appearance and need a win tonight against the San Antonio Spurs in Game 6.
- Jalen Williams and Ajay Mitchell are in question for OKC, with one confirmed out and another carrying a 50/50 status according to the latest injury report.
- The team’s offensive strategy now hinges on Jared McCain to step up and ease the scoring burden on their MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
After losing Game 1 at home, the Oklahoma City Thunder are just one win away from their second NBA Finals appearance in as many years. Talks of dynasty are starting to materialize, as the Thunder could be the first team since 2018 (when the Golden State Warriors did it) to repeat as back-to-back champions. But before that, the Thunder must put the fiercesome San Antonio Spurs to bed once and for all.
Who will the Thunder have available to them for Game 6? Here is the full injury report.
Jalen Williams is questionable, Ajay Mitchell will not play in Game 6
The two main names listed on the injury report for the Thunder are Jalen Williams and Ajay Mitchell. Mitchell has missed the last two games. Meanwhile, Williams hasn't played since leaving the Game 2 after seven minutes of action.
Unfortunately, Mitchell will miss a third straight game, as he is listed as out (right soleus strain) for Game 6. As for Williams, his status is still up in the air, as the Thunder have him listed as questionable (left hamstring strain). As a general rule, when a player is listed as questionable, that usually means that they have a 50/50 shot of playing in the game.
However, I would lean toward him not playing, as Williams has been given this injury designation over the last couple of games and ended up not playing. It is more likely that the Thunder are trying to keep the Spurs on their toes, and force them to gameplan for the possibility of Williams playing rather than him actually being a go for tonight's contest.
Projected Oklahoma City Thunder starting lineup for Game 6
If Mitchell and Williams both don't suit up tonight, here is what the Thunder's starting lineup/depth chart will look like for Game 6.
STARTER | POSITION | BENCH |
|---|---|---|
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander | PG | Cason Wallace |
Jared McCain | SG | Isaiah Joe |
Luguentz Dort | SF | Alex Caruso |
Chet Holmgren | PF | Kenrich Williams/Aaron Wiggins |
Isaiah Hartenstein | C | Jaylin Williams |
This projected starting lineup is what the Thunder went with in Game 5, and considering they won that contest rather handedly, it is safe to assume that they will continue with this formula in Game 6.
Thunder need a huge night from Jared McCain to win Game 6
In Game 4, the Thunder started Cason Wallace at shooting guard. However, after he went 2-for-8 from the floor (scoring just five points), the Thunder (who only mustered 90 points as a team) realized they needed more offense. So, they started Jared McCain in Wallace's place in Game 5.
McCain is a jitterbug scorer, who has the power to explode for strong offensive showings on a semi-consistent basis. He scored over 20 points in Games 3 and 5 -- both wins for the Thunder.
With Mitchell and Williams likely out of the mix (the team's two best creators outside of their back-to-back MVP), the Thunder need another strong showing from McCain in order to make life easier on Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. If he can pull one more rabbit out of his hat, maybe, just maybe, the Thunder can punch their ticket to the NBA Finals tonight.
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