For the third time this season, the Oklahoma City Thunder are faced with considering moving forward without the services of star SF Jalen Williams. A familiar injury continues to rear its ugly head, this time with a new twist.
Just over 52 minutes into his 2026 NBA Playoffs, Williams’ status is once again in question. How long could the Thunder be without one of their best players against the Phoenix Suns, or potentially even future postseason opponents?
Below, we'll break down the latest Jalen Williams injury update, how much time Williams could miss, and which Thunder players to target on PrizePicks if he sits out any game action.
Make your NBA Playoff picks on PrizePicks — including ones on the Thunder vs. Suns series as it moves to Phoenix for Games 3 and 4.
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Jalen Williams Injury Update: When Will Williams Return?
According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, Williams suffered a Grade 1 left hamstring strain and will be evaluated on a “weekly basis.”
Williams played 23 minutes and change in Wednesday’s Game 2 playoff bout with the Phoenix Suns before sustaining the ailment. After going up for a layup against Phoenix SG Devin Booker, Williams attempted to slow down upon landing and was seen grabbing at his left leg. He exited for the locker room shortly thereafter and was ruled questionable to return.
Earlier this season, Williams missed significant time due to injury. Offseason wrist surgery cut into the start of this campaign, then two right hamstring issues held him back too. In all, the former No. 12 NBA Draft pick appeared in just 33 regular-season games.
Williams seemed to be turning things around at the perfect time. Across Games 1 and 2, he’s netted 41 points on 16-of-26 shooting (61.5%) from the field and 4-for-8 (50%) from 3-point land.
Given that the Western Conference Semifinals won’t begin until May and the Conference Finals don’t start until nearly a month after Williams’ injury occurred, he’s got considerable time to rehab.
How Does Williams’ Injury Impact Thunder vs. Suns Series?
Here are the payouts for the ongoing Thunder vs. Suns series, courtesy of PrizePicks Team Picks. “Yes” predictions indicate an outcome occurring, whereas “No” implies the opposite.
Team Picks data is live as of writing and is subject to change.
- Thunder win 4-0: 2.94x No | 1.35x Yes
- Thunder win 4-1: 1.28x No | 3.12x Yes
- Thunder win 4-2: 1.02x No | 11.11x Yes
- Suns win 4-2: 33.33x Yes
- Thunder win 4-3: 33.33x Yes
- Suns win 4-3: 33.33x Yes
The Thunder currently return a 1.44x payout on “Yes” to win the Western Conference, as well as a 1.78x payout to win the NBA Finals.
If Williams misses extended time, there’s no denying that either of those paths becomes more difficult. In the interim, his current series could be over.
What Players to Target on PrizePicks While Williams Is Out?
In Wednesday’s 120-107 victory over the Suns, PG Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and C-PF Chet Holmgren led the way. The former had a game-high 37 points on 25 shots, and the latter chipped in 19 points on a tidy 7-of-12 shooting while adding 8 rebounds and 4 blocks.
As long as Williams isn’t in the lineup, it’s expected that Gilgeous-Alexander could shoulder even more of a load on offense. According to databallr, his usage rate jumped by 4.0% without Williams this year, and his points per 75 possessions also increased by 6.2.
Elsewhere, if it isn’t Holmgren, some supporting pieces could be the ones to help offset what’s lost when Williams is off the court. G Cason Wallace, for example, sees a usage increase of 2.9%. G Ajay Mitchell, one of OKC’s most important role players, has a 5.1% higher usage rate, scores 4.9 more points per 75, and cans 9.3% more of his 3-pointers in 1,123 Williams-less minutes.
Here are the Thunder players who may benefit most on PrizePicks while Williams is out, as well as their stat projections for Game 3 against Phoenix.
- Shai Gilgeous-Alexander vs. Suns Projections: 31.5 Points / 4.5 Rebounds / 6.5 Assists (Goblin)
- Cason Wallace vs. Suns Projections: 7.5 Points / 2.5 Rebounds (Goblin) / 1.5 Assists (Goblin)
- Ajay Mitchell vs. Suns Projections: 12.5 Points / 3.5 Rebounds / 3.5 Assists (Demon)
If the reigning MVP isn’t your go-to, perhaps looking to Mitchell could be a wise move during J-Dub’s expected absence.
Pick More or Less Thunder player stats on PrizePicks now before Saturday’s 3:30 p.m. ET tip.
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With Jalen Williams now deemed week-to-week with a hamstring injury, the Oklahoma City Thunder’s playoff prospects just got shaken up. Can they persevere and show off their depth in the next handful of games?
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