Thunder lose star Jalen Williams for Western Conference Finals Game 7 as hamstring injury lingers

This post was originally published on this site.

Spurs force Game 7 vs.Thunder, SGA struggles, Will Wemby carry this momentum?| The Herd

Victor Wembanyama scored 28 points and 10 rebounds in the San Antonio Spurs’ 118-91 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 6 of the WCF.Jason McIntyre says that Wemby showed up in the biggest moments, and asks if he can carry this momentum into Game 7.Plus, he discusses Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s struggles and asks if he will cost the Thunder the series.

TheOklahoma City Thunderwill be shorthanded in Saturday’s pivotal Game 7, as one of Oklahoma’s key contributors has been sidelined with an injury.

OKC guard Jalen Williams has been ruled out for Game 7 with a hamstring issue, ESPN reported on Friday.Williams appeared to aggravate his left hamstring during the Thunder’s 122-113 victory in Game 2.He missed the next three games before returning for Game 6, but logged just 10 minutes off the bench in Oklahoma City’sloss to the San Antonio Spurson Thursday, which forced a winner-take-all Game 7.

“He’s obviously not 100%,” Mark Daigneault, the head coach of the Thunder, said.

Jalen Williams looks on during an NBA game

Oklahoma City Thunder guard Jalen Williams watches during the fourth quarter against the San Antonio Spurs in Game One of the NBA Western Conference Finals at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma on May 18, 2026.(Alex Slitz/Getty Images)

Daigneault applauded Williams for fighting through the injury and doing everything he could to help Oklahoma City.

“He didn’t know what to expect.I didn’t know what to expect.So, it was a matter of getting him out there in kind of an insulated role and see what he can bring to the team.He’s an All-Star player, he’s an All-NBA player.He hasn’t done a full return to play [protocol] like he would if this was the regular season, and yet, he just wants to do whatever he can to try to contribute whatever he can to the team.”

BLOCKBUSTER GAME 7 SHOWDOWN: FOUR BEST BETS FOR SAN ANTONIO SPURS AT OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER

“I give him a lot of credit to get himself out there.He did the best he could.He’s certainly not the reason we lost.”

Oklahoma City Thunder players react during a playoff game

Oklahoma City Thunder forward Jalen Williams reacts to a shot by forward Luguentz Dort in the third quarter against the San Antonio Spurs during game one of the Western Conference finals for the 2026 NBA playoffs at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, on May 18, 2026.(Alonzo Adams/Imagn Images)

Williams did not talk to reporters after Thursday’s game in San Antonio.

Williams underwent surgery last offseason to repair a wrist injury but still played a key role in the Thunder’s run to the NBA Finals last season.He appeared in just 33 regular-season games beforethis year’s playoffs.

Jalen Williams drives into the paint during an NBA game.

Oklahoma City Thunder guard Jalen Williams drives into the paint during the first quarter of Game Two of the NBA Western Conference Finals against the San Antonio Spurs at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma on May 20, 2026.(Alex Slitz/Getty Images)

onelink.me/xLDS?pid=AppArticleLink&af_web_dp=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.

The winner of Saturday’s Game 7 will advance to the NBA Finals to face theNew York Knicks.New York snapped a nearly three-decade Finals drought by sweeping the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference finals.

�s