Hamstring strain sidelines Jalen Williams. Who rises to fill the void for the surging Thunder as they face their playoff rivals?
Oklahoma City Thunder fans have not been able to enjoy the feeling that should come with cheering for a team that is the only top 3 seed in the NBA to start with a 2-0 lead in Round 1 in the playoffs.
The cloud of the hamstring injury that Jalen Williams sustained in Game 2 versus the Phoenix Suns had been hanging over the OKC faithful from the moment he exited the game in the 3rd quarter until an official update came from the Thunder on Thursday afternoon. The report was a mix of good news and bad news.
Thunder Injury Update: Jalen Williams has sustained a Grade 1 left hamstring strain. He will be re-evaluated on a weekly basis.
The bad news is obvious. The Thunder's 25 year old All-Star will miss some time. Almost certainly the rest of Round 1. Possibly part or all of Round 2. There's a chance Williams may not be back until the Western Conference Finals.
The good news is that it was not a Grade 2 hamstring strain. Those typically take between 4-8 weeks to properly heal. That could have been a possible season ender. Grade 1 strains, while not predictable, are a much better result.
Here's the thing, though. While the Thunder own a 2-0 lead, they still have business to take care of against the Suns. There are two more games to win and now the series shifts to Phoenix. Assuming OKC takes Round 1, either Kevin Durant and the Houston Rockets or, more likely, LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers await the champs in Round 2. And to make matters more difficult, there's a chance one or both of Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves could be back for the Lakers.
So who should the Thunder look to step up in the absence of Williams?
The truth is, no one single player can replace exactly what it is that Jalen Williams does on both sides of the court. Not many players on the planet have his unique blend of size, strength, length, skill, scoring, playmaking, defense, IQ and Swiss army knife versatility. OKC will need a team wide effort to make up for what they will be missing without Williams.
That said, one player who will surely see an increase in minutes, role and responsibility is Ajay Mitchell. The second year second round pick instantly becomes OKC's second shot creator, second ball handler and second playmaker.
Thankfully for the Thunder, all signs point to Mitchell being up for the job.