Jaylin Williams Continues To Step Up When OKC Needs Him Most

The forward came up big in one of the biggest games of the year so far.

Mar 9, 2026; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder forward Jaylin Williams (6) celebrates after scoring against the Denver Nuggets during the second half at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images | Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

The Thunder don’t have to just rely on big-name players to produce in big games. 

The Oklahoma City Thunder took home a win in a game for the ages, beating the Denver Nuggets 129-126. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander highlighted the game, as he hit the go-ahead bucket to win, and tied Wilt Chamberlain’s record for consecutive games with at least 20 points. 

The Thunder star stepped up in a big way since OKC was without both Chet Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein; however, he wasn’t the only Thunder player who stepped up in this top-of-the-West matchup. 

Jaylin Williams was called upon to be Oklahoma City’s undersized big man once again with the absence of Hartenstein and Holmgren, and he flourished. Williams' main objective of the night was to slow down Denver superstar Nikola Jokic, and fortunately for OKC, he did. 

Jokic still ended up with 32 points, but Williams stalled him down the stretch of the long 40 minutes both players played. It went as far as Jokic not making a single shot in the second quarter, and his only points came from free throws. 

Jokic is considered the MVP runner-up right behind Gilgeous-Alexander, and not having their two starting big men didn’t seem to faze the Thunder thanks to Williams. 

His main job might have been to focus on the defensive side of the ball, but that didn’t stop Williams from being a main weapon on the offensive end. 

Williams was the second leading scorer for the Thunder squad, putting up 29 points, one point shy of his career high. This high-volume scoring was thanks to his success from beyond the arc on Monday night. Williams made seven threes, a new career high, and did so taking only 11 shots from three. 

Being slotted as the big man on Monday night meant that Williams was going to have to control the glass for OKC, and he did just that. Williams led the team with 12 rebounds, securing another double-double this season. 

OKC has injury troubles throughout the season, and time and time again, Williams has been there to bail the Thunder out. The forward is averaging the most points this season in his career and seems to be getting better with every game under his belt. 

Williams might not be considered one of the bigger names on the Thunder’s roster, but he has proven over and over that he is capable of truly helping OKC compete.