Jalen Williams will not play Game 7 against the Spurs after being ruled out on the NBA injury report released May 29. Oklahoma City faces San Antonio on May 30 with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander seeking to overcome a season-low night as the winner heads to face the
When Oklahoma City walked into the Western Conference finals with a chance to reach the NBA Finals. the first gut-punch came in the injury report. Jalen Williams has been ruled out of Game 7. the NBA injury report released on Friday. May 29 said. ending his run of trying to push through a hamstring problem as the Thunder host the San Antonio Spurs on Saturday. May 30.
The absence changes the feel of Game 7 before tipoff. Williams. the Thunder guard/forward who averaged 17.1 points per game this season. reinjured a hamstring injury in Game 2 and then sat out Games 3. 4 and 5. He returned for Game 6 after Oklahoma City’s season-long wait for one more swing of momentum.
In Game 6, the Spurs evened the series to force Game 7. Williams played just 10 minutes off the bench and finished with one point, a free throw.
Mark Daigneault spoke about Williams’ effort after the Thunder’s 118-91 loss, choosing his words carefully as he tried to explain what it looked like for a player to be determined to contribute without being fully healthy.
“It was a unique situation. Ever since he got hurt, he’s been hell-bent on trying to get himself to this point,” Daigneault said. “I give him a lot of credit. He’s a big-time team guy. He’s a big-time competitor. He’s obviously not a hundred percent. He didn’t know what to expect. I didn’t know what to expect. so it was a matter of getting him out there in kind of an insulated role and see what he can bring to the team.”.
“He hasn’t done a full return-to-play the way that he would if this was the regular season and yet he just wants to do whatever he can to try to contribute whatever he can to the team.”
On the other side of the scoreboard, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander struggled in Game 6, held to a season-low 15 points in the 118-91 loss.
A second injury report hit Oklahoma City as well. The Thunder also ruled out guard Ajay Mitchell with a right soleus strain. Mitchell has averaged 15.1 points per game in these playoffs.
The winner of Game 7 will face the New York Knicks in the NBA Finals. It will be the Knicks’ first appearance in the championship series since 1999.
Taken together. the timeline is stark: a hamstring reinjury in Game 2. three straight games missed. a limited Game 6 return after the series was leveled. and then a Game 7 ruling out on May 29. For Oklahoma City. Game 7 isn’t just another postseason matchup—it’s the moment the plan has to change without two key pieces available.
Jalen Williams injury update Spurs vs Thunder Game 7 NBA injury report Mark Daigneault Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Ajay Mitchell injury Western Conference finals NBA Finals Knicks 1999