Stiles Points: Jalen Williams Shows How Dangerous OKC Thunder Can Be

Sunday was different. As the Oklahoma City Thunder wrestled away control of the game from the San Antonio Spurs, they also flashed just how special this season can be.

In the Thunder's 146-132 win over the Spurs, a lot was different. Not only did Jalen Williams turn in a career-high 41 points, but Oklahoma City won a shoot out as its defense stumbled out of the blocks post All-Star Break.

That's what good teams do. Even without its fastball and without what has made the 49-11 Thunder so great this year, they dug out a win on the road while missing rotational pieces.

Williams's scoring was on a different level. Not just the flashy point column but his relentless attacks at the rim leading to numerous and-1's, his poise and control with the ball in his hands to make plays for others and his unmatched defensive versatility.

As the season has progressed, so too has the All-Star. Since the ball was tossed in the air this season, he has put on a defensive clinic, playing to an elite level on that end of the floor in any role he was placed in.

Offensively? While nothing on his basketball reference page jumps out as alarming, the eye-test showed a dip in his minutes leading the troops and aggressiveness as a scorer with Gilgeous-Alexander sidelined.

The Thunder didn't panic, neither did the Santa Clara product. Now, Oklahoma City has seen the third-year player put it all together - a chaos-inflecting defender and controlled chaos scorer. A recipe for success now and as games grow in importance.

This week, Oklahoma City dug deep for a pair of road wins in Brooklyn and San Antonio. The common thread? A Williams explosion as an offensive hub to put the game out of reach as his superstar rests on the sidelines.

Sure, Gilgeous-Alexander could've put on his cape and tried to save these games, but why bother when Williams can play at this level?

This 41-point night was an exclamation point on Williams turning the corner as the No. 2 scoring threat on the Thunder's roster. It will not be as loud as tonight every game, but it gives another element to this already dangerous OKC squad.

While other teams try to survive without their top player on the floor, the Thunder can not only stay afloat but extend its lead when they are able to put a lineup around Williams that features a seven-footer. That's it; that is the secret ingredient.

On Wednesday, it was Chet Holmgren's shooting gravity and transition-making defense that helped aid Williams. On Sunday, Hartenstein's wipe-out screens escorted Williams to easy buckets and a back-breaking run.

When Williams is on the floor without a seven-footer, the Thunder produce 111.2 points per possession (31st percentile). With Hartenstein and without Holmgren, that number leaps to 115.6 points per possession (63rd percentile). With Holmgren and no Hartenstein, it sits at 119.2 points per possession (82nd percentile, only 569 possessions).

If the Santa Clara product continues his aggressive approach down the stretch of this season and in the postseason, the Thunder will not look to simply survive without its star but win those minutes.

The variety of ways the Thunder can win games is only heightened with Williams playing at this level. That is what makes Oklahoma City so dangerous.

On any given night, Oklahoma City has a realistic chance of a superstar takeaway, a rock fight win, a role-player explosion, or its co-star becoming a lead actor. In a race to four wins during a seven-game series, this will be tough to overcome for opponents.

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