Jaylin Williams Displays Career Scoring Night Against Spurs

Oklahoma City knew walking into Wednesday’s bout with San Antonio that it was going to be an uphill battle.

The Thunder had 10 players listed on the injury report, which included all five of their traditional starting five. Nobody thought that OKC could truly compete without its core players, especially not against the likes of Victor Wembanyama and Stephon Castle, who have already given the Thunder issues in the past.

However, nobody probably thought Jaylin Williams was going to have a career night either.

Williams has been a solid role player for the OKC squad this season, but hasn’t been anything crazy. He’s averaging 5.6 points, 4.9 rebounds and 2.5 assists and is mostly seen as a defensive presence that embodies OKC’s style of grit.

Williams did show a flash of offensive ability earlier this season when he scored 15 points in a win over the Jazz in November. However, Williams showcased something that has never been seen out of the second-round pick from Arkansas in Oklahoma City’s short-handed match against the Spurs.

Williams scored 24 points for the Thunder and set a new career high in points. He didn’t just score as Williams had a double-double, grabbing 12 rebounds. His night didn’t end there as he also racked up four assists and two blocks to round out his historic night.

Williams was forced to take on a much larger role on Wednesday night due to the extensive injury list, and ended up playing 40 minutes for the short-handed Thunder squad. This was the most out of anyone on the team, and it proved to be crucial in OKC keeping this game close down the stretch.

The Thunder, who were down 22 at one point, made most of its ground up in the third quarter, as the squad usually does. This time, it was Williams leading the charge, as he scored 10 of Oklahoma City’s 27 points during this period.

He would continue to help lead the Thunder throughout the fourth and bring the team within striking distance, only trailing by four. In the end, it wouldn’t be enough, but Williams helped the Thunder come closer than anyone thought entering the game.

OKC hopes it will never have to put Williams in this position again, as it hopes to get the roster healthy soon. However, if Williams’ offense continues to develop and shine as it did on Wednesday night, Oklahoma City could have another dangerous weapon at its disposal.