The Oklahoma City Thunder had to figure out how to win without Jalen Williams for most of the regular season, they are going to have to do it again, likely for at least the rest of their first-round series against the Phoenix Suns.
Jalen Williams has been diagnosed with a Grade 1 left hamstring strain and “he will be re-evaluated on a weekly basis,” the team announced Thursday.
On average, a Grade 1 hamstring strain keeps a player out 12 days, according to Jeff Stotts of In Street Clothes, who maintains a database tracking NBA injuries. That timeline would keep Williams out for the entire first round of the playoffs, even if the series goes seven games (the Thunder are up 2-0), and if it ends earlier, he might miss the start of the second round.
Williams has been plagued by injuries all season and appeared in just 33 games for the Thunder this season. Williams was out for the first 19 games of the season recovering from right wrist surgery, then missed 30 more games due to a right hamstring injury (the opposite of the leg he injured Wednesday).
With Williams out, expect Cason Wallace, Alex Caruso and Aaron Wiggins to get more run.
This latest injury occurred in the third quarter of Game 2 on Wednesday night. Williams missed a transition layup, and as soon as he landed, he grabbed the back of his leg. Williams quickly checked himself out of the game and did not return.
In the 33 games he did play this season, Williams averaged 17.1 points, 5.5 assists and 4.6 rebounds per game. In Game 1 of the series against the Suns, he had 22 points on 9-for-15 shooting. The Thunder won without Williams on Wednesday, 120-107, and took a 2-0 series lead as the series shifts to Phoenix for Game 3.
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