OKC Thunder Could Have Perfect Solution to LeBron James Problem

The Thunder saw the league's all-time leading scorer have a solid Game 1, but the perfect solution could be ready for action in Game 2.

May 5, 2026; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) looks towards his bench after a play against the Oklahoma City Thunder in the first half during game one of the second round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images | Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

Oklahoma City is looking to take a commanding 2-0 lead in the second round, and it might have a perfect solution for one of its biggest Game 1 problems.

On Tuesday night, the Thunder secured a 108-90 win over the Los Angeles Lakers to take a 1-0 lead in the second round. With a matchup on Thursday night only a few hours away, the Thunder are looking to improve upon their opening performance against the Lakers.

While the Thunder won by 18, there were still several areas to improve. While Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s struggles in Game 1 were rather notable, so was the opposing star’s success. In Game 1, LeBron James came out aggressive and picked his spots against smaller defenders throughout the night on his way to 27 points on 12-of-17 shooting.

That type of efficient performance wasn’t enough for the Lakers to get over the hump, but it was an encouraging sign for them to see their star find success against the Thunder defense. While Jalen Williams might typically take that matchup, given his size, athleticism and versatility, the Thunder mostly had Lu Dort take the assignment.

While James rarely attempted to attack against Dort, he was more than willing to try and score against other small players, such as Alex Caruso or Cason Wallace. So, if the Thunder find similar problems on Thursday night, they may need to dust off Kenrich Williams. 

The forward has played mostly garbage time in the postseason through five games, but he’s always been a reliable veteran player for the Thunder in spot minutes. Throughout the regular season, Williams was rarely a part of the rotation, but he was always ready to step up when Mark Daigneault called his number. 

Considering he’s a situational player at this point in his tenure with the Thunder, Williams may simply be perfect for the situation at hand. Listed at 6-foot-7, 210 pounds, Williams is still a tad bit undersized compared to James, but he has a much more capable frame to take on the league’s all-time leading scorer.

Daigneault has never been afraid to try a variety of tactics throughout a series, so it shouldn’t come as a surprise if Williams ends up playing a crucial role for the Thunder for at least one game in this series. Ultimately, anything the Thunder get from Williams will be a bonus, considering he’s not among the usual contributors. Still, this might be the perfect storm for Williams to work his way back into the Thunder lineup and help put his team in a better position in Round 2.