The Oklahoma City Thunder received some bad news today in the midst of their run through the 2026 NBA Playoffs. Wing Jalen Williams has sustained a Grade 1 hamstring strain, reaggravating an injury that has plagued him all season. He will now be evaluated on a weekly basis. Shams Charania of ESPN reported the news.
Williams—an NBA All-Star, All-Defensive, and All-NBA team member last year—played only 33 games for the Thunder this season. He averaged 17.1 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 5.5 assists in 28.4
minutes per game. He left Game 2 of Oklahoma City’s first-round series against the Phoenix Suns and has since undergone MRI scanning.
The heavily-favored Thunder lead the Suns 2-0 in the best-of-seven series. Oklahoma City lies in the theoretical path of the Portland Trail Blazers in the Western Conference, though the teams would not meet until the Conference Finals, if at all.
Being evaluated week-to-week is not a great sign in a postseason featuring 3-4 games per week for each participating team. Pacing of games will depend on the Thunder’s ability to finish off the Suns, also the length of the opposing bracket series between the Los Angeles Lakers and Houston Rockets.
