Key Points
Bullet point summary by AI
- The Oklahoma City Thunder face the San Antonio Spurs in Game 4 with a chance to move one win closer to the NBA Finals.
- Jalen Williams remains questionable due to hamstring tightness and appears unlikely to contribute in this critical matchup.
- The Thunder have shown depth all season and are prepared to adjust their lineup without their usual starter.
The Oklahoma City Thunder are two wins away from reaching their second-straight NBA Finals. Game 4 will be as important as any as both the San Antonio Spurs and Thunder need wins for separate reasons. The Thunder could use Jalen Williams in Game 4 if they want to get one win closer to winning a second straight Western Conference Finals. Williams has been dealing with a hamstring injury for much of the second half of the season.Â
Williams was out in Game 3 and the Thunder were able to stave off San Antonio for a 2-1 lead. Will he play in Game 4? It’s not looking likely, but the Thunder have proven they are fine even when Williams can’t play.Â
Jalen Williams listed as questionable against San Antonio Spurs in Game 4
It’s not looking likely that Williams will be playing in Game 4. He is listed as questionable with hamstring tightness. Injuries have held Williams back this season. He played in just 33 regular season games this year and has played in just four postseason games. The Thunder have managed to win without him for much of the year so if he doesn’t play, it won’t be too much of a problem. The Thunder are a really deep team so they will manage without one of their more productive players.Â
The Thunder leaned on the other Jaylin Williams in Game 3 to carry the scoring load and could turn to Alex Caruso, Williams and even Cason Wallace. OKC probably won’t miss Jalen Williams too much and truthfully him sitting out this game is better as they prepare for a potential spot in the Finals, or more important Western Conference Finals games down the road.Â
Projected Oklahoma City Thunder starting lineup without Jalen Williams in Game 4
STARTER | POSITION | BENCH |
|---|---|---|
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander | PG | Cason Wallace |
Ajay Mitchell | SG | Jared McCain |
Lou Dort | SF | Alex Caruso |
Chet Holmgren | PF | Jaylin Williams |
Isaiah Hartenstein | C | Holmgren/Hartenstein |
I expect Ajay Mitchell to rotate into the starting lineup in place of Williams. He started Game 3 and started the Los Angeles Lakers series when Williams was out. The Thunder could look to play Wallace, though he may be a better spark off the bench. The Spurs were bit by the injury bug as well, which is why Mitchell might not be a bad idea. He can provide some offense whereas Wallace is more of a defensive asset.Â
It might be better for the Thunder to focus on offense rather than defense in Game 4. The Spurs are thin in terms of depth so instead of trying to keep them from scoring, they should force the Spurs to keep up with them on the scoreboard. That philosophy also helps when you’re one of the best defensive teams in the NBA.
Why OKC will be fine without Jalen Williams in Game 4
If we’re being honest, the Thunder don’t need Williams right now. That’s not to say he’s not a key player on this team, but he played less than 40 games this season and were still the No. 1 team in the West and didn’t lose a game in the first two series. This team is deep. When you look at Wallace, Jaylin Williams, Caruso and Mitchell, this team will be fine without their starting shooting guard. It would be a little bit different if OKC was struggling without him, but they haven’t skipped a beat.Â
To say the Thunder need someone else to step up feels force.d They just have to stick to their game. Lou Dort, Wallace, Mitchell and Caruso can more than handle their own. The Thunder built up this team through the NBA Draft and identified the players that can fill in when needed. Williams will be a big loss, but it won’t hinder what the Thunder will do on Sunday and moving forward.
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