Getty

Oklahoma City Thunder star Jalen Williams will officially miss Game 1 against the Los Angeles Lakers, according to the NBA's injury report.

The Oklahoma City Thunder will open their second-round playoff series against the Los Angeles Lakers without Jalen Williams.

Williams was officially listed as out for Game 1 on the NBA’s injury report on May 4. The report lists the Thunder forward with a left hamstring strain, confirming that Oklahoma City will be without one of its most important two-way players when the series begins on May 5.

The update matters even more because the Lakers are dealing with their own star absence. Luka Doncic was also listed as out for Game 1 with a left hamstring strain, meaning the series opener will be played without a major offensive engine on each side.

The Oklahoma City Thunder Officially Listed Jalen Williams as Out for Game 1

The Thunder’s official injury report designation removed any remaining uncertainty about Williams’ Game 1 status.

Oklahoma City also listed Thomas Sorber as out because of right ACL surgical recovery, but Williams is the absence that directly changes the playoff rotation. He is one of the Thunder’s best shot creators, a key secondary option next to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and a defender who gives Oklahoma City lineup flexibility against bigger wings and guards.

The timing is frustrating for the Thunder because Williams was playing well before the injury. He had 19 points on 7-of-11 shooting when he exited Game 2 of Oklahoma City’s first-round series against the Phoenix Suns after grabbing at his left hamstring. The Thunder went on to win that game 120-107.

Oklahoma City still enters the Lakers series from a position of strength. The Thunder swept Los Angeles 4-0 during the regular season, winning those games by an average of 29.3 points. NBA.com noted that was the largest regular-season point differential between two teams from the same conference in 2025-26.

That context keeps Williams’ absence from becoming the entire story. The Thunder have been dominant, deep and unusually comfortable playing through absences. Still, Game 1 now puts more pressure on Gilgeous-Alexander, Chet Holmgren, Lu Dort, Alex Caruso, Isaiah Joe, Aaron Wiggins and the rest of Oklahoma City’s rotation to cover Williams’ scoring and defensive versatility.

Jalen Williams Has Been Dealing With a Left Hamstring Injury

Williams has been dealing with a left hamstring strain, and the Thunder have not given a firm return date.

Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said on May 4 that Williams remains week-to-week. According to CBS Sports, Daigneault said Williams is “progressing according to plan,” but Oklahoma City is not releasing a timeline and will continue to update his status on a week-to-week basis.

That matters because “week-to-week” is different from a simple one-game absence. It does not necessarily rule Williams out for the entire series, but it also does not suggest a return is imminent.

The original injury was reported as a Grade 1 left hamstring strain. ESPN reported on April 23 that Williams would be reevaluated weekly after sustaining the injury against Phoenix.

For the Thunder, the practical question is not only when Williams can return, but what version of him returns. Hamstring injuries can be difficult in playoff basketball because they affect acceleration, deceleration and defensive reaction, exactly the areas where Williams is valuable.

Williams’ Absence Coincides With Luka Doncic’s Injury Absence

The Game 1 injury report also confirmed Doncic will not play for the Lakers, leaving both teams without a headlining scorer to start the series.

That does not make the absences equal. Oklahoma City still has Gilgeous-Alexander running the offense, plus one of the deepest supporting casts in the NBA. Los Angeles, meanwhile, has to find enough creation without Doncic against a Thunder team that already dominated the regular-season matchup.

But Williams being out still changes the shape of Game 1. It takes away one of Oklahoma City’s cleanest answers for high-leverage playoff possessions, especially when the Lakers force the ball out of Gilgeous-Alexander’s hands. It also gives Los Angeles one less matchup problem to solve on the wing.

The Thunder can survive a Game 1 absence better than most teams. Whether they can continue to make the series look as lopsided as the regular-season matchup may depend on how long Williams remains sidelined, and how quickly Doncic can give the Lakers a counterpunch.