In his first game in three weeks, Oklahoma City Thunder forward Jalen Williams led his team to a 119-110 win against the Los Angeles Lakers on the road. Williams made a career-high 11-of-13 free throws while scoring 10 of his 23 points in the fourth quarter, which kept the Lakers at bay down the stretch of the Thunder's nine-point win.
After the game, Williams told reporters that missing three weeks due to a hamstring injury was a good way to rest his surgically-repaired right wrist, the injury that forced him to miss the first 19 games of the season. Despite grimacing after absorbing a hard foul by Lakers center Deandre Ayton, Williams says his wrist is feeling better than it ever has since last season's initial ligament tear, he said, per The Oklahoman's Justin Martinez.
“It feels great. The three weeks [were] actually great for me. That was the first time that I shot like that since April 8th of last year,” Williams said. “So, that was really dope. My hand feels good. I just got jammed up with Ayton, and that was pretty much it. It's honestly the best it's been since then. A lot of the reps I was able to do while I was out. That really helped out a lot.”
After a slow start in the first half, Williams finished 6-for-17 from the floor with three rebounds, one assist, and one steal. He led seven Thunder players in double figures, including reserves Isaiah Joe's 19 points (4-for-8 from three), and Alex Caruso (17 points); whose 36 points combined, Oklahoma City's second unit.
Chet Holmgren recorded a double-double (13 points, 10 rebounds), Cason Wallace added a dozen points, six assists, and two steals, and Jaylin Williams added 11 points off the bench.
How Thunder teammates helped Jalen Williams amid injury
Thunder forward Jalen Williams says his team's production from the supporting cast made his return as smooth as he could have imagined after missing 10 consecutive games. Williams' return ahead of the Thunder's road trip was ideal for a team missing its reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
For Williams, being around his Thunder teammates helped ease the path of recovering from a hamstring injury that kept him out for three weeks.
“The biggest support is that it's very fun to see them, while I'm not playing, still play well. That gives me a lot of confidence,” Williams said. “To go in there and not feel like the weight of the world is on me; that's nice. We just all get along so well. Going into practice, playing, not playing, just being around them is a blessing. It's just really cool to be around that group of guys.
“They may not have to say anything encouraging. Just the energy that they've had throughout this season makes it fun for me to go into work and just be around basketball, whether I was playing or not.”
Williams and the Thunder's road trip continues against the Suns on Wednesday.
