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Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams defend Dylan Harper during a Western Conference Finals matchup between the Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs.

The San Antonio Spurs are heading into a pivotal Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals with momentum and now, potentially, a favorable injury development on the other side.

While nothing is official yet, the latest update on Jalen Williams offers a subtle but meaningful boost for San Antonio as the series shifts back to Oklahoma City.

UPDATE as of 7:45 p.m. ET: Williams has been officially ruled after he was spotted warming up but not in a Thunder uniform. 

Spurs Get Encouraging Break With Jalen Williams Injury Update

The Oklahoma City Thunder once again listed Williams as questionable for Tuesday’s Game 5, marking his third straight appearance on the injury report.

More notably, his designation has been updated from left hamstring soreness to a left hamstring strain under injury management — reinforcing that the issue remains significant.

Williams has not played since exiting Game 2 after just seven minutes, and his continued uncertainty gives the Spurs a potential edge in a series that has been razor-close through four games.

Even if Williams ultimately suits up, the likelihood of limitations — whether in minutes or explosiveness — could tilt key matchups in San Antonio’s favor.

Shams Charania: Thunder Star Still ‘Very Much Up in the Air’

GettyJalen Williams of the Oklahoma City Thunder is assisted off the court by team staff after suffering a left hamstring injury during a Western Conference Finals game against the San Antonio Spurs.

According to NBA insider Shams Charania, Williams’ status remains far from certain.

Charania reported on Monday’s edition of ESPN’s NBA Today that the Thunder forward “suffered a second injury to that same left hamstring in just under one month,” a development that complicates his recovery timeline.

While Williams is “starting to do more and more” in on-court workouts, Charania emphasized that both he and Ajay Mitchell are dealing with soft tissue injuries that “typically are not just day-to-day.”

For the Spurs, that uncertainty matters. A lingering hamstring issue — particularly one aggravated in the same postseason — raises real questions about availability and effectiveness.

ESPN’s Tim MacMahon: Injury Shift ‘Acknowledges’ Setback

ESPN’s Tim MacMahon provided further clarity on Tuesday’s SportsCenter, noting that Williams had been going through only light pregame routines before being ruled out in Games 3 and 4.

The updated “strain” designation, MacMahon said, is “basically an acknowledgement of what was obvious” — that Williams aggravated the injury during Game 2.

That shift signals that the Thunder are now managing a more defined injury rather than day-to-day soreness, a distinction that often leads to more cautious timelines.

Spurs Momentum Builds Ahead of Game 5

San Antonio enters Game 5 with renewed confidence after a dominant Game 4 win that evened the series at 2-2.

Behind rising star Victor Wembanyama and a defense that has increasingly disrupted Oklahoma City’s rhythm, the Spurs have seized back momentum at a critical point in the series.

With Williams sidelined the last two games, the Thunder have had to adjust on both ends — particularly in perimeter defense and secondary scoring — areas the Spurs have begun to exploit.

Spurs vs Thunder Game 5: Opportunity Knocks in Tight Series

With the series now effectively a best-of-three, every advantage matters.

And for San Antonio, the continued uncertainty surrounding Williams — combined with Mitchell’s absence — presents a real opportunity.

The Spurs have already shown they can control games without needing overwhelming margins. If Oklahoma City remains shorthanded or limited, that margin for error only widens.

As both teams prepare for Game 5, the chess match continues.

But for the Spurs, the latest development may represent a small, yet significant opening at exactly the right time.