Jalen Williams remains out for Game 4 vs the Lakers.
Luka Doncic remains out as well.
Getty
The Oklahoma City Thunder will again be without Jalen Williams when they try to finish off the Los Angeles Lakers.
Williams has been ruled out for Game 4 of the Western Conference semifinals because of a left hamstring strain, keeping one of Oklahoma City’s most important two-way players sidelined for a potential closeout game. The Thunder lead the series 3-0 after a 131-108 win in Game 3 and can complete the sweep on Monday, May 11, at Crypto.com Arena.
That is the unusual part of this series. Oklahoma City is not simply surviving without Williams. The Thunder are overwhelming the Lakers anyway, winning all three games by double digits while moving to 7-0 in the postseason.
The Lakers have their own injury problem, and it is even bigger. Luka Doncic has not played at all in the postseason because of a hamstring injury, leaving LeBron James to carry a thinner offensive burden while L.A. tries to avoid elimination.
Jalen Williams remains out for Game 4 vs the Lakers.
Luka Doncic remains out as well.
Williams’ Game 4 absence continues a cautious approach from the Thunder, who have had little reason to force the issue with the series so firmly in their control.
The 2025 All-Star suffered the injury during Oklahoma City’s Game 2 win over the Phoenix Suns in the first round. He exited in the third quarter after grabbing at his left hamstring and did not return. The Thunder later announced that Williams had a Grade 1 left hamstring strain and would be evaluated on a weekly basis.
Williams had opened the postseason well before the injury. He had totaled 41 points on 16-of-26 shooting through the Thunder’s first two playoff games.
His absence would normally be a major swing point in a second-round series. Williams gives Oklahoma City another high-level creator next to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, adds size on the wing and gives Mark Daigneault another defender who can move across matchups.
Instead, the Thunder have turned the series into a depth showcase.
Ajay Mitchell led Oklahoma City with 24 points and 10 assists in Game 3, while Gilgeous-Alexander added 23 points and nine assists and Chet Holmgren finished with 18 points and nine rebounds. The Thunder shot 56.4% from the field and made 17 threes in the win.
That depth is why Williams’ Game 4 ruling lands differently than it would in a tighter series. Oklahoma City can prioritize a healthier Williams for the next round if it advances, rather than pushing him back into a series the Thunder already control.
Williams’ left hamstring strain has now cost him six playoff games, counting his two missed games against Phoenix and Games 1 through 4 against the Lakers.
Williams’ Game 3 absence against Los Angeles marked his fifth straight missed playoff game since the injury. With Williams out again for Game 4, that number moves to six.
The injury is also part of a larger durability issue for Williams this season. He missed significant regular-season time while recovering from wrist surgery and dealing with right hamstring trouble before suffering the left hamstring strain in the playoffs. ESPN lists Williams’ 2025-26 regular-season averages at 17.1 points, 4.6 rebounds and 5.5 assists in 33 games.
For Oklahoma City, the larger question is not whether it can beat these Lakers without Williams. The Thunder have already answered that through three games.
The question is whether Williams can be closer to full strength if the Thunder reach the Western Conference finals. Oklahoma City’s title ceiling is higher with Williams available, particularly against deeper opponents that can better punish small mistakes and thin rotations.
The Lakers are one loss away from the end of their season, and Doncic’s absence is the unavoidable backdrop.
The star guard suffered a Grade 2 left hamstring strain on April 2 and has not played in the postseason. The Lakers advanced past the Houston Rockets without him, but the Thunder have exposed how narrow L.A.’s margin is without another elite creator next to James.
James had 19 points, eight assists and six rebounds in Game 3, but the Lakers were outscored 74-49 in the second half after leading at halftime. Rui Hachimura led Los Angeles with 21 points, while Austin Reaves added 17 points and nine assists.
There is also no firm return date in sight for Doncic. AP reported before the series that Lakers coach JJ Redick had not said if or when Dončić could return, while Doncic later said doctors initially gave him an eight-week recovery timeline.
That leaves the Lakers facing Game 4 with the same problem they have had all series: James can still produce, but Oklahoma City has more answers.
The Thunder are not at full strength without Williams. They just have not needed to be.
Erik Anderson is an award-winning sports journalist covering the NBA, MLB and NFL for Heavy.com. He also focuses on the trading card market. His work has appeared in nationally-recognized outlets including The New York Times, Associated Press , USA Today, and ESPN. More about Erik Anderson
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