The Oklahoma City Thunder are shorthanded heading into the All-Star break, and here's where things stand with their star forward.
The Oklahoma City Thunder were electric in their 136-109 win over the Phoenix Suns, scoring their most points since Jan. 19. They were led by star forward Jalen Williams, who scored 28 points and was 11-of-12 shooting from the field. It also showed off the Thunder’s deep bench, which scored 74 points in the victory – and they may need to keep relying on that depth moving forward. ESPN reported Thursday that Williams will be reevaluated after the NBA All-Star break after straining his right hamstring for the second time in under four weeks. He was ruled out of Thursday’s matchup against the Milwaukee Bucks for the injury that he originally suffered on Jan. 17, reaggravating it against the Suns.
Williams was out for 10 games before returning Monday night from the first strain and was spectacular Wednesday night. He won’t be the only star power out for OKC, as reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Ajay Mitchell are out with abdominal strains for a considerable stretch. The offense will also be down Isaiah Hartenstein, who was ruled out against the Bucks. However, Milwaukee will be without Giannis Antetokounmpo, who is sidelined.
Here is the full story from Thunder Roundtable writer on the key matchups to watch in the shorthanded contest.
Williams played a big role in Oklahoma City’s championship run in the 2024-25 season and signed a max contract extension. However, he missed the first 19 games of this year’s campaign after getting surgery on his right wrist. In his action on the court, Williams is averaging 17.5 points, 4.7 rebounds and 5.4 assists per game.