Williams ruled out for Game 7, leaving Thunder short-handed
Williams ruled out for Game 7, leaving Thunder short-handed
Oklahoma City Thunder guard Jalen Williams has been ruled out for Saturday’s Western Conference Finals Game 7 against the San Antonio Spurs after failing to recover from a left hamstring injury, ESPN reported on Friday.
Williams first appeared to aggravate the hamstring during Oklahoma City’s Game 2 victory and subsequently missed three consecutive games. He returned for Game 6 in San Antonio but managed only 10 minutes off the bench as the Thunder lost 122-113, a result that set up the winner-take-all decider. Head coach Mark Daigneault acknowledged Williams was not fully fit, saying the guard had not completed a standard return-to-play protocol and was playing through pain in a limited role. “He’s certainly not the reason we lost,” Daigneault said. Williams did not speak to reporters after the Game 6 defeat.
The absence removes a significant offensive option for Oklahoma City. Williams, an All-Star and All-NBA selection, had already been limited by a wrist surgery performed the previous offseason and played just 33 regular-season games before this year’s playoffs. His capacity to contribute at full intensity has been constrained throughout the postseason run.
The winner of Saturday’s Game 7 in Oklahoma City will advance to the NBA Finals to face the New York Knicks, who reached the championship round by sweeping the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference finals.
