The Oklahoma City Thunder’s NBA title defense got off to a good start earlier this week when they edged the Houston Rockets in double overtime.
They did that shorthanded, too, without Jalen Williams.
OKC is back on the court Thursday for a Finals rematch against the Indiana Pacers. But they’ll still be without Williams.
The Thunder are also newly without Alex Caruso (concussion), who played well Tuesday night. Cason Wallace is out, too.
The Pacers are shorthanded, too, of course, with Tyrese Haliburton out for the season.
It should still be an intriguing showdown anyway, but the Thunder will hope to get Williams back soon.
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Why isn’t Jalen Williams playing?
Williams remains out due to a right wrist injury.
He had surgery in the offseason on that wrist.
Thunder coach Mark Daigneault has only said that Williams is “progressing” and “right on schedule,” according to ESPN.
Williams was a third-team All-NBA selection a season ago, and has said he needed frequent pain-killing injections during the playoff run to the title.
“It was a necessary evil to win,” Williams told ESPN. “I would’ve cut my hand off to win a championship.”
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When is Jalen Williams coming back?
Jalen Williams shared this on his possible injury return timeline with ESPN:
“Just whenever I feel like I can be a hundred percent, then I’ll rock out. Part of the process is just figuring out how to get my jump shot back. A lot of it is just trying to get feel back.”
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