Recent OKC Thunder Loss Highlights the Importance of Jalen Williams

Oklahoma City suffered a rare loss in an amplified matchup on Monday night. After knocking off the Nuggets the night before, the Thunder had a chance to build an even bigger lead on the top spot in the Western Conference — and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had an opportunity to further cement his MVP chances.

The Thunder and Gilgeous-Alexander missed out on a moment to slam the door shut, losing at home by double digits. Splitting a pair of games against the West’s No. 2 team isn’t a big deal at all outside of narrative purposes. But the naysayers against Oklahoma City and Gilgeous-Alexander are growing louder — warranted or not.

Of course, the individual matchup between Nikola Jokic and Gilgeous-Alexander is what some fans tuned in for. But the game itself seemed to have a real shift when the Thunder’s second All-Star went down.

Plenty has been said about the season Jalen Williams is having and his jump in responsibility. No matter your personal opinion, Williams made the jump to a first-time All-Star, one of the most effective defenders in the NBA, and the second scoring option on an all-time great regular season team. He has shown he is more than capable of the workload he’s receiving.

His impact was obvious in the Thunder’s first meeting against Denver, as he tallied 26 points, nine rebounds and eight assists on 50% shooting. He didn’t get a chance to have that same impact in the second matchup, though, as Williams played just 13 minutes before exiting early with an injury.

In those 13 minutes, Williams added 12 points and six assists on 5-of-10 shooting. He was on track for a superb night, and one that the Thunder likely needed to win. The telling sign, is that Oklahoma City was a +8 in minutes that Williams played. They ultimately lost the game by 13 points, and give up 140 points in the process.

On the season, Williams is averaging 21.3 points, 5.5 rebounds and 5.3 assists. He's shooting 47.8% from the floor and 36.2% from 3-point range. He has emerged as one of the best young secondary scoring options in the NBA. His introduction to the basketball world could be in the playoffs after a strong first showing a season ago.

One thing is clear, though. Oklahoma City needs Williams to win. Different players step up every game, but Williams is the Thunder's consistent second option.

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