Jalen Williams injury update: Thunder star didn't suffer setback after Game 6 return
· Yahoo Sports
Mark Daigneault gave an update on Jalen Williams prior to Game 7 of the Western Conference finals between OKC and San Antonio at 7 p.m. CT Saturday.
After missing Games 3-5 of the series due to left hamstring strain injury management, Williams briefly returned for Game 6 on Thursday. But he only logged 10 minutes off the bench in the Thunder's 118-91 road loss and was ruled out for Saturday's Game 7.
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Daigneault said Williams did not suffer a setback, though. And if OKC is able to advance to the NBA Finals, where it'd face the New York Knicks, the former All-NBA forward would continue his rehab process with hopes of making another return.
"He came out of the game about where he went into it," Daigneault said. "He didn't do a full return to play, obviously. We knew he wouldn't be a full 100 percent. He, or we, didn't know what that would look like and what he'd be able to do when he got out in the game. The only way to find out was to get him out there. I can't even talk about this without acknowledging the level of competitiveness and team orientation that it takes for a guy to be willing to do that. That's somebody who's used to playing up here (raises hand), knowing he's not going to be up here, but is just willing to do whatever he can to help the team.
"These are player decisions. He's got a career. He's got a circle. There's obviously a responsibility we have to the player as well. And all of the stakeholders huddled in the conversation to try to give it a go (in Game 6). We huddled coming out of the game with the decision not to go in Game 7. But he's feeling about the same as he did. He actually came out of the game pretty good from where he is in the normal rehab."
OKC will have to get past San Antonio first. And it'll have to do so without both Williams and Ajay Mitchell, who'll miss a fourth straight game due to a right soleus strain.
Justin Martinez covers the Thunder and NBA for The Oklahoman. Have a story idea for Justin? He can be reached at [email protected] or on X/Twitter at @Justintohoops. Sign up for the Thunder Sports Minute newsletter to access more NBA coverage. Support Justin's work and that of other Oklahoman journalists by purchasing a digital subscription today at subscribe.oklahoman.com.
This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Mark Daigneault provides injury update on Thunder star Jalen Williams