Thunder Star Jalen Williams Out For Game 7 Against Spurs as Injuries Shift Western Conference Finals

OKLAHOMA CITY -- Thunder star Jalen Williams will miss Game 7 of the Western Conference Finals against the San Antonio Spurs, according to the latest injury report.

Depth is a hallmark of this Oklahoma City team, but they'll be missing two of their three best playmakers in the do-or-die affair on Saturday night at the Paycom Center. Ajay Mitchell also remains out for the Thunder. The injuries deal a devastating blow to the reigning champions at a critical point in their title defense, with 48 minutes of basketball to decide if it's them or the Spurs who will represent the West in the NBA Finals.

Williams missed most of OKC's playoff run with a Grade 2 hamstring strain, and returned for the double-overtime Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals before leaving Game 2 early. He gave it a go in Game 6 in San Antonio, but looked hobbled and rough in his 10 minutes off the bench. He finished with one point and two turnovers in the 27-point loss.

"It was a unique situation," Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said after Game 6. "Ever since he got hurt, he's been hell-bent on trying to get himself to this point. I give him a lot of credit, he's a big-time team guy, a big-time competitor, he's obviously not 100%. He didn't know what to expect, I didn't know what to expect so it was a matter of getting him out there in kind of an insulated role and see what he could bring to the team. He's an All-Star player, an All-NBA player, but again, he hasn't done a full return to play the way that he would if this was the regular season... I give him a lot of credit to get himself out there, he did the best he could."

Honorable as his effort was, it seems the Thunder have decided it's not worth the risk to his long-term health to put him out there for Game 7. OKC has typically waited until the hour before tipoff to make an official announcement on J-Dub's availability, so the fact that they're ruling him out the day before the game is a significant change.

Mitchell is also dealing with a leg muscle strain, his being the soleus in his left calf. After suffering the injury in Game 3 of this series, he's been listed as out the whole time. MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander said that Mitchell was the best player for the Thunder in the previous series sweep over the Los Angeles Lakers

Williams and Mitchell both provide the Thunder with playmaking ability to take some of the burden and pressure off of SGA who has struggled mightily in this series as the Spurs key in on him.

OKC dominated Game 5 without Williams and Mitchell on the floor, but can they do it again in Game 7? The Spurs won two of the last three games by an average of 24 points after holding the Thunder to 82 in Game 4 and 91 in Game 6, and they've held SGA to 36% shooting over the last four games. The Thunder's high-powered offense has mostly ground to a halt, and now they'll be without two of their three best advantage creators.

Earlier in the series, it looked like San Antonio might be the team who fell short due to injuries. All-Star point guard De'Aaron Fox missed the first two with a high ankle sprain that he's still dealing with, and though he's lacked shooting touch since he returned he's done a good job of sharing and caring for the ball with 26 assists to just five turnovers.

Fox's presence has calmed things down for the young Spurs, especially Stephon Castle who coughed it up 20 times in the first two games but only six times in the four games since.

Star rookie guard Dylan Harper left Game 2 early with a sore adductor, and though he's been on the floor he hasn't been at his brilliant best. Game 6 appeared to be a turning point for him, though, as he scored 18 points on nine shots to go with six rebounds and four assists.

"When he's switched on mentally and aggressive, he's pretty damn good," Spurs coach Mitch Johnson said. "He's got all the talent in the world, makeup to do whatever he wants, so he is capable of those nights when he's in the right place between the ears, he Oh, he's a 20 year old kid in the conference finals, playing against the defending champ, so he's not 100% healthy, and he's doing a hell of a job. So, I say he's probably strained mentally, emotionally, and physically."

Even with Harper and Fox limited, the fact that they're out on the floor is making all the difference in the world for San Antonio. When all three are available, they can keep two on the floor at all times and keep the defense off balance.

The Thunder, on the other hand, have less weapons to attack an extremely-balanced Spurs defense that has held Shai well below his typical scoring numbers and shooting splits. They traded for second-year guard Jared McCain at the deadline precisely for a scenario such as this.

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