The San Antonio Spurs are underdogs in their Western Conference Finals showdown against the Oklahoma City Thunder, and will have to overcome one key obstacle if they want to win.
The San Antonio Spurs are entering their Western Conference Finals matchup against the Oklahoma City Thunder as 2:1 underdogs, but their backcourt depth and the game-altering talents of Victor Wembanyama are expected to make the series incredibly compelling.
The Thunder, led by two-time MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, have been the best team in the NBA all season long and have yet to lose a playoff game.
However, in the regular season, the Spurs went a dominant 4-1 against OKC. The Thunder are under the assumption that they can get a boost with Jalen Williuamns returning from a hamstring injury, although if the regular season is any indication, he won't be the series-altering addition they are hoping for.
How Spurs Will Slow Down Jalen Williams
Williams had his breakout moment last season, making his first All-Star, All-NBA, and All-Defensive teams. This season, injuries limited him to only 33 games, and his scoring and offensive efficiency both took a back seat.
In the regular season, the Thunder rested all five starters in their fifth game against the Spurs. However, Williams did play in the first four games, with the Spurs winning three of them.
In those contests, he averaged 16.5 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 5.3 assists while shooting 43.5 percent from the floor. All of those numbers are less than his season averages.
If the Spurs double-team Gilgeous-Alexander, it stands to reason that Williams will have plenty of open looks. However, he shot only 29.9 percent from deep this season and missed the last six playoff games.
With Wembanyama looming in the paint, Williams won't be able to drive to the hoop and will have to get his shots going if he wants to impact winning. With Keldon Johnson better-suited to guard him, the Sixth Man of the Year should have a much bigger role than he did in the Conference Semis against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
The Spurs will try to come out of the gates swinging on Monday night, and limiting the Thunder's star power will be key to an early series upset. Of course, OKC has more depth than any team in the league (including the Spurs), so the defensive strategy has to go deeper than just topping SGA and Williams, although by taking two All-Stars out of the game, the Spurs should be able to set the tone for the series early.
