After Oklahoma City Thunder forward Jalen Williams' near-perfect performance in Wednesday's win against the Phoenix Suns, he'll be sitting out for Thursday's matchup against the Milwaukee Bucks due to a right hamstring injury. Williams left Wednesday's game early on his only miss of the night, as he was a perfect 11-for-11 when he came down on a missed layup. He limped off the floor after scoring 28 points in a 136-109 win against the Suns.
Williams is ruled out for the Thunder's second leg of a back-to-back ahead of the All-Star break. The defending champions will host the Bucks at the Paycom Center.
Williams returned from a 10-game absence in the Thunder's 119-110 win against the Los Angeles Lakers. He finished with 23 points and three rebounds before Wednesday's 28 points, five assists, and four rebounds against the Suns. Williams' right hamstring injury is the same ailment that forced a 10-game absence ahead of his return against the Lakers.
Will Thunder lose Jalen Williams for a significant amount of time?
Because Thunder forward Jalen Williams missed 10 games with the same right hamstring injury suffered on Wednesday, the defending champions could be without their All-Defensive forward when the regular season resumes after the All-Star break. Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault commended Williams' impressive 28-point performance in their win over the Suns, noting how consistent Jalen's scoring can create opportunities for his teammates.
Without All-Star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the Thunder's reinsertion of Williams back into the fold was seamless despite a 10-game absence. He picked up right where he left off in helping the Thunder secure two wins on the road, but will now suffer another setback amidst an injury-riddled season.
Williams has missed 30 regular-season games thus far. The Thunder enter Thursday's matchup against the Bucks with the NBA's best record — 42-13.
