The Oklahoma City Thunder will likely be without Jalen Williams for the immediate future, and possibly the remainder of this series, depending on how long it goes.
Following an early exit in Game 2 against the Phoenix Suns, the star forward has been diagnosed with a Grade 1 left hamstring strain, according to Shams Charania.
Williams, who had 22 points in the series opener and had 19 points before
exiting Wednesday night, will be re-evaluated on a weekly basis.
While OKC holds a 2-0 series lead heading to Phoenix for Game 3 on Saturday, the loss of Williams is a significant blow to their offensive depth. The Suns will look to capitalize on his absence and the interior size advantage they’ve struggled to utilize thus far in the series.
A Game 3 win on Saturday night could make things interesting and put some pressure back on a Thunder team that is widely expected to sweep the Suns. OKC has weathered the storm without Williams this season as he missed 49 games due to multiple injuries. The Thunder are a deep team with an abundance of guards and wings to make up for his absence.
Could this blow to the Thunder be enough to propel Phoenix to a win on Saturday to make this a series again? We shall see.
