How the OKC Thunder can win Game 4 Without Ajay Mitchell, Jalen Williams

Oklahoma City will need an airtight strategy for Game 4.

May 22, 2026; San Antonio, Texas, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) reacts in the first half during game three of the western conference finals for the 2026 NBA playoffs at Frost Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Scott Wachter-Imagn Images | Scott Wachter-Imagn Images

The Thunder officially find themselves in a tight spot in the Western Conference Finals, even while being up two games to one over the Spurs.

Oklahoma City saw its best game of the postseason a few nights ago, ousting San Antonio on their home floor behind 76 bench points. With the win, they were able to reclaim home court advantage in the series, which was previously lost with a double-overtime loss in Game 1.

Despite that, Oklahoma City also received some bad news in second-year guard Ajay Mitchell’s injury. He would exit the game after playing just three minutes in the third quarter, failing to return. Per Saturday’s injury report, Mitchell has now been ruled out for Game 4 with a soleus strain, which is likely to put his status in question for the remainder of the postseason.

Mitchell’s name now joins Jalen Williams’ on the injury report, who appeared after leaving Game 2 with a hamstring injury, his fourth bout with a hamstring this season.

Ball-handling plagued the Thunder’s title run last year, even accounting for Williams in the lineup. Now, OKC is down two of its three best handlers, with the Spurs’ defense likely re-invigorated by the prospect of going down 3-1.

Two-time MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander will be capable of winning his minutes regarding of secondary handling, providing an all-time scorer and much-improved play-maker. If his teammates are hitting shots, the Thunder will be capable of cruising.

The biggest issue lies when SGA hits the bench. Both Mitchell and Williams have been relied on to lead the second unit as the lead option. With both out, the team will have only a few pathways to turn to.

Jared McCain, the star of Game 3, is certain to be one. And likely how Oklahoma City can stay afloat even accounting for injury.

McCain has been a revelation for OKC in the postseason, adding a scoring punch off the bench with his white-hot 3-point shooting — especially on the move — and a serviceable handle that’s let him attack the paint and get into layups and step-back mid-range shots.

He was especially vital to the Game 3 win, providing 24 points off the bench in finishing as a +28. He took a team-high 21 field goals, with his confidence in simply taking shots functioning as a major boost for the Thunder.

Now, he’ll likely be looked at to keep OKC afloat in non-SGA minutes. His ability to handle the ball, even seldomly, puts him into the spotlight. And dribble-handoff actions alongside Isaiah Hartenstein are likely to be the primary source of offense. Isaiah Joe, too, is likely to be looked at in that regard.

The Spurs are likely to anticipated OKC’s game-plan, meaning for the first time this series, they’ll be looking to put added pressure on McCain. He’ll have to be sharp on numerous levels, but can still offer hope for the Thunder to steal another game in San Antonio.