OKC Thunder's Jaylin Williams Continues to be Impactful in Game 1 Win

The Oklahoma City big man had a solid game off the bench against the Phoenix Suns to start the postseason.

Apr 19, 2026; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder forward Jaylin Williams (6) shoots a three point basket in the second half during game one of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Paycom Center. | Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

The Oklahoma City Thunder kicked off the team's 2026 playoff run with a big win at the Paycom Center.

OKC took down the Phoenix Suns 119-84 behind a strong defensive performance that included 13 steals and 7 blocks, continuing what has been the Thunder's winning recipe in recent years. Mark Daigneault's team now takes a 1-0 series lead into Game 2, which will be in Oklahoma City on April 22.

The typical stars performed well for the Thunder, as Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the team with 25 points despite a lackluster shooting performance from the field. Jalen Williams chipped in 22 points and Chet Holmgren added 16 points.

Each of the aforementioned players also contributed to the team's impressive effort on defense.

One player who may not get as much recognition following the win, though, is Jaylin Williams, who spent just 10 minutes on the court. Williams appeared to suffer an injury during the game, heading back to the locker room after limping off the floor, but returned to the contest later on.

In his 10 minutes of action, though, the fourth-year big man notched 5 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists and 4 steals, shooting 2-of-5 from the field and 1-of-4 from 3-point range. While his offensive statistics from Game 1 against Phoenix weren't eye-popping, Williams made a noticeable impact on defense, and a few key plays on offense.

Williams' hit a 3-point shot as the third quarter came to an end, giving OKC a 31-point lead heading into the final frame, and connected with Holmgren on a remarkable pass from the baseline to finish the first qaurter with a Holmgren triple at the buzzer.

Beautiful throw.
Perfect release.

The Thunder are on fire at home in Game 1 🔥 https://t.co/YUR8oWFApo pic.twitter.com/riRtZyytr0

— NBA (@NBA) April 19, 2026

In addition to his four steals, Williams' stout defense led to a block by Jalen Williams on Dillon Brooks and a few other stops in his brief time on the court. The Arkansas product's impact was displayed in the final box score, as Williams finished as a +24, tied with Shai Gilgeous-Alexadner for the highest on the team.

Williams' recent performance continued what has been a strong year for the bench big man, who has been an important contributor since returning from an injury early in the season. The 23-year-old averaged a career high 7.2 points to go along with 5.5 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game, shooting 42.3% from the field and 38.3% from 3-point range in 65 contests.

If Williams continues to perform like he did in Game 1 against the Suns, he should be an important piece of OKC's playoff run.