Thunder's Jalen Williams Doesn't Believe in Sophomore Slumps
The Oklahoma City Thunder took a tough loss to the Indiana Pacers on Tuesday. The offense was stagnant and things looked clunky all around. They were unable to complete a comeback, failing to get over the hump in the fourth quarter.
On Thursday, the Thunder bounced back, defeating the Luka Doncic-less Dallas Mavericks 126-119.
One of the biggest differences between the two matchups was the presence of Jalen Williams. The second-year pro's impact is night and day, which was proven this past week. He was dealing with an ankle injury against the Pacers but made a big return in the bounce-back win over the Mavericks.
Williams scored 27 points, pulled down four rebounds, dished five assists and added three blocks in 35 minutes of action against the Mavericks. His impact was felt, and he even threw down some timely fans to ensure the fans stayed rowdy and in the game.
One thing Williams has been proving in the back half of the season -- other than his importance to the Thunder -- is that the sophomore slump or wall is simply not a thing for him or even something he believes in.
"I don't really accept the whole wall thing. It's just mental," Williams said after the win Thursday. "It's basketball at the end of the day, and I'm trying to get better every game. I just throw the rookie wall/sophomore slump thing out the window and just play."
The 22-year-old has been vital to the Thunder's inevitable to the postseason, which will see them secure one of the top few seeds in the Western Conference, and his consistency perfectly compliments Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
Averaging 19 points per game on the season, Williams is proving his star potential and seems to be teetering on the line of being a star. The statistics are close, and he's had plenty of big-time "star" moments as one of the premier fourth-quarter performers in the NBA.
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