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Jalen Williams of the Oklahoma City Thunder during an NBA playoff game.
After missing the last three games, Jalen Williams returned in Game 6 of the Western Conference Finals on Thursday.
Williams didn’t have the best game and was limited to just 10 minutes in three quarters. He had one point, one assist and two turnovers in the Oklahoma City Thunder‘s 118-91 loss to the San Antonio Spurs.
The 25-year-old forward didn’t look like himself despite getting cleared from his left hamstring strain. The Thunder delivered concerning news about Williams after Game 6.
GettyJalen Williams #8 of the Oklahoma City Thunder brings the ball up court during the first half against the Dallas Mavericks at Paycom Center on December 5, 2025 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
In his postgame media availability, Thunder coach Mark Daigneault was asked about Jalen Williams’ performance in Game 6. He confirmed that Williams is not fully healthy, but he admired what his player is doing.
“He’s been hellbent on trying to get himself to this point,” Daigneault said, via Joel Lorenzi of The Athletic. “I give him credit. He’s a big team guy, big competitor. He’s obviously not 100%. 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 an insulated role and see what he could bring to the team. … He hasn’t done a full return to play the way that he would.”
It was an inspiring effort by Williams, though it’s unclear if he’ll be playing in Game 7 on Saturday.
Speaking to reporters after Game 6, Chet Holmgren praised Jalen Williams’ grit and effort to play despite not being 100 percent healthy.
“That’s a tough dude right there,” Holmgren said, via Justin Martinez of The Oklahoman. “I’ve never dealt with that specifically, but for him to go out there and fight through it and try to give us what he can, that’s who he is. There’s no quit in him. He’s always gonna bite down and fight.”
Holmgren has been healthy in the playoffs, but he has been underwhelming against the Spurs. He’s averaging just 11.8 points, 7.7 rebounds, 1.2 assists and 1.0 blocks in the Western Conference Finals.
Asked Chet Holmgren about Jalen Williams, who gave it a go tonight after missing the last three games due to left hamstring strain injury management:
“That’s a tough dude right there. I’ve never dealt with that specifically, but for him to go out there and fight through it and
With Williams and Ajay Mitchell not fully healthy, Holmgren should be capable of alleviating the offensive load on Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. He needs to have a huge performance in Game 7 to ensure their return to the NBA Finals.
GettyJalen Williams #8 of the Oklahoma City Thunder sits on the bench during the second half in Game Three of the Western Conference First Round NBA Playoffs at Mortgage Matchup Center on April 25, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. The Thunder defeated the Suns 121-109.
ESPN’s Tim MacMahon listed Jalen Williams’ injuries following his lackluster Game 6 return. Williams was coming off such an impressive season last year, becoming an All-NBA player and helping the Thunder win the NBA championship.
However, Williams missed the first 19 games of the season after undergoing offseason surgery on his right wrist. He then suffered two separate right hamstring strains before and after the All-Star break.
Williams was healthy entering the postseason, playing well in the first two games of the first round against the Phoenix Suns. He strained his left hamstring in Game 2 and missed the next six games, including the Thunder’s four-game sweep of the Los Angeles Lakers in the second round.
He re-aggravated the injury in Game 2 of the Western Conference Finals and missed the next three games. The Thunder need him to be effective in at least one side of the ball to have a better shot at beating the Spurs.
Juan Paolo David Juan Paolo David is a sports journalist covering basketball for Heavy. He has a decade of experience writing about the NBA and WWE. He's currently based in the Philippines. More about Juan Paolo David
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