The Oklahoma City Thunder will again be without one of their top players when they face the Los Angeles Lakers in Game 3 of the Western Conference semifinals on Saturday night. Jalen Williams remains sidelined with a Grade 1 left hamstring strain, continuing an injury absence that began during the Thunderâs first-round playoff series against the Phoenix Suns.
Williams has not played since April 22, when he suffered the injury in Game 2 against Phoenix. Since then, Oklahoma City has continued winning without him, sweeping the Suns and taking the first two games against the Lakers to build a 2-0 series lead.
The Thunder defeated Los Angeles 125-107 in Game 2 behind balanced scoring from Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Chet Holmgren, Ajay Mitchell, and the supporting cast. Oklahoma City now heads to Crypto.com Arena looking to move within one win of the Western Conference Finals.
Jalen Williams Ruled Out for Oklahoma City Thunder
GettyOklahoma City Thunder guard Jalen Williams
According to the NBA injury report, Williams has officially been ruled out for Game 3 because of the left hamstring strain.
The injury has now sidelined Williams for five consecutive games. Oklahoma City listed him out before both Games 1 and 2 against Los Angeles, and his status remained unchanged entering Saturday night.
Williams averaged 17.1 points, 5.5 assists, and 4.6 rebounds during the 2025-26 regular season while shooting 48.4 percent from the field. Before the injury, he played an important secondary scoring and playmaking role next to Gilgeous-Alexander.
In the first two games against Phoenix before suffering the injury, Williams averaged 20.5 points, 5.0 assists, and 4.0 rebounds.
Despite his absence, Oklahoma City has continued to dominate opponents during the postseason. The Thunder have won all six playoff games so far and are defeating opponents by an average margin of 17.4 points.
Williams already missed significant time during the regular season because of injuries. He appeared in only 33 games after dealing with two hamstring strains and two wrist surgeries.
Oklahoma City signed Williams to a five-year, $239.25 million designated rookie extension in July 2025, reinforcing his importance to the franchiseâs long-term core alongside Gilgeous-Alexander and Holmgren.
The Thunder selected Williams with the No. 12 overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft out of Santa Clara. That draft selection originally came from the Los Angeles Clippers in the Paul George trade that brought Gilgeous-Alexander to Oklahoma City.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Thunder Continue Winning Without Jalen Williams
GettyOklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
Even without Williams, Oklahoma Cityâs depth has continued to overwhelm opponents.
In Game 2 against Los Angeles, Gilgeous-Alexander finished with 22 points despite dealing with foul trouble for much of the night. Holmgren added 22 points, nine rebounds, four steals, and two blocks, while Mitchell scored 20 points and Jared McCain contributed 18 points off the bench.
The Thunder outscored the Lakers 36-22 in the third quarter and turned Los Angeles turnovers into easy transition opportunities. Oklahoma City finished with 26 points off the Lakers’ giveaways.
Williamsâ absence has created larger opportunities for several role players. Alex Caruso, Aaron Wiggins, Mitchell, and Cason Wallace have all seen increased minutes during the postseason rotation.
The Lakers have tried aggressively trapping Gilgeous-Alexander throughout the series, forcing Oklahoma Cityâs supporting cast to create offense. So far, the Thunder have consistently responded.
Los Angeles received a playoff career-high 31 points from Austin Reaves in Game 2, while LeBron James added 23 points and six assists. However, the Lakers again struggled to keep pace late in the game.
The Lakers also remain without Luka Doncic, who continues recovering from a Grade 2 left hamstring strain suffered on April 2. Doncic said this week that doctors initially gave him an eight-week recovery timeline. He has started running again, but has not been cleared for contact.
Game 3 is scheduled for Saturday night at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles as the Thunder attempt to take a commanding 3-0 series lead despite continuing to play without Williams.
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