The Oklahoma City Thunder remains a strong favorite to win the NBA Championship, and Jalen Williams’ recent injury is not changing that. Some Thunder fans panicked when Williams left last night’s Game 2 win over the Phoenix Suns with a left hamstring sprain. Williams is currently considered week to week and is likely to miss the rest of the first-round series unless Phoenix can extend it.
Hoop Central reported that Oklahoma City’s probability to win the NBA Championship remained the exact same before and after last night’s game. The Thunder currently hold a 66% chance to make the NBA Finals and represent the Western Conference. These odds remained identical from before and after the injury took place. Fanduel still lists OKC as the -230 betting favorite to make the finals and -130 favorite to win it all.
Most playoff teams losing an All-Star to injury will see their odds and probability of winning lowering without said talent. However, the Thunder roster has such great depth that most expect them to continue winning with or without Williams. Oklahoma City remains a dominant favorite over the rest of the field, even with sports fans knowing they are missing a top three player.
Why This Is Great News For Thunder Fans
Today’s landscape sees gambling sites and probability sites using advanced metrics to get ahead of wagers. The Thunder remaining a dominant favorite means that most expect them to get past the first two rounds, regardless of what Williams’ status is for the team.
A second-round matchup with the flawed Houston Rockets or injured Los Angeles Lakers would see Oklahoma City as a strong favorite with or without Williams. Most expect the Thunder to easily get to the Western Conference before they get a real challenge that requires their full health.
The Denver Nuggets or San Antonio Spurs would present the toughest challenges for Oklahoma City based on previous matchups. Williams is forecasted to return by mid-May for that potential series. However, it remains great news that Williams’ health is unknown, and nothing has changed regarding the market’s confidence in the Thunder winning.
How Oklahoma City Can Win Without Jalen Williamshe
Oklahoma City managed to win nearly 80% of games this season that Williams missed with an impressive 39-10 record. Role players like Ajay Mitchell, Cason Wallace, Isaiah Joe, and Alex Caruso can easily play more minutes to make up for the time missed by Williams.
General Manager Sam Presti has used the draft to field a deep roster that makes a huge difference when injuries occur. The Thunder was able to get past Williams, Chet Holmgren, and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander all having injury stints missing time this season.
Williams missing some time in the postseason will not be ideal, especially since every team is giving their best shot to challenge the defending NBA Champions. However, Oklahoma City has more than enough talent to get past a couple of weeks missing their one-time All-Star. Odds makers and probability sites don’t believe that Williams’ injury will hurt the Thunder from reaching their ultimate goal of winning another title.
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