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Ajay Mitchell takes over Jalen Williams' starting role.

Ajay Mitchell has been a pivotal piece for the OKC Thunder in the playoffs. While he has struggled on the offensive end against the San Antonio Spurs, Mitchell remained valuable on the defensive end, holding down Spurs guards while keeping himself a threat offensively. 

However, late in Game 2, Mitchell went down holding his quad following a play under the rim. He immediately went to the bench and received treatment from the Thunder’s medical staff. The Thunder went on to complete the win, 122-113, with Mitchell on the bench in the final two possessions of the game. 

According to sports doctor and NBA injury insider Dr. Evan Jeffries, the biggest concern around Mitchell is if he strained his right quad. 

“Ajay Mitchell left tonight’s game with a right leg injury He seems to be grabbing his right “quad” concern would be for a strain,” Jeffries wrote on X following Game 2. 

According to Pliability, a Grade 1 quad strain would usually set a player back one to three weeks. In that case, Mitchell could miss the entire West Finals. 

Mitchell played 28 minutes off the bench and scored 10 points, a tad better than his four-point performance in Game 1, which the Thunder lost in double overtime. 

He shot 4-for-8 from the field, had two assists and four steals to help the Thunder tie the Western Conference Finals series. 

Ajay Mitchell Adds To OKC Thunder’s Injury Woes

GettyOklahoma City Thunder star Jalen Williams‘ injury has led to Ajay Mitchell’s ascendence.

During the first quarter of Game 2, Jalen Williams went back to the locker room after hurting his left hamstring. He never went back to the game, only logging seven minutes for four points. 

It was the same hamstring he had hurt during Game 2 of the first round of the playoffs against the Phoenix Suns, which forced him to sit out the second round against the LA Lakers. 

In the second round, Mitchell was inserted in the starting lineup and delivered valuable numbers as the secondary ball handler behind MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. 

In that series, he averaged 22.1 points per game as he hunted the Lakers’ defensive weak links to steer the Thunder to a sweep. 

However, that same offensive looks and production have yet to happen for him in the Western Conference against way better defenders in San Antonio. 

With Williams down with an injury, Mitchell was expected to carry his load, but his own injury could see him join Williams on the bench for the rest of the series. 

It remains to be seen how head coach Mark Daigneault would adjust his rotations for the rest of the West Finals.  

Thunder Goes On The Road in San Antonio

The Thunder may need to dig deep in Games 3 and 4 in San Antonio as they deal with injuries from two of their best supporting casts. 

Fortunately, they still have the likes of Alex Caruso, who has been consistent in the offensive end in the first two games, Jared McCain, and Cason Wallace helping Thunder’s Gilgeous-Alexander in the series. 

They are also getting help from Chet Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein, albeit they still have to deal with containing the Spurs’ Victor Wembanyama. 

Game 3 will see how the two teams navigate their own woes. It will be on Friday, May 22.