Thunder play without SGA as Jalen Williams returns from All-Star break
The reigning champion Oklahoma City Thunder will commence the post-break segment of the schedule without their injured stars Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams.
Gilgeous-Alexander (abdominal strain) is set to be re-evaluated in about one week, while Williams (right hamstring strain) will be assessed in roughly two weeks, as announced by the team on Thursday.
Key backup guard Ajay Mitchell, who sprained his left ankle during the All-Star break while recovering from an abdominal strain, will also undergo re-evaluation in approximately one week.
Gilgeous-Alexander, the current MVP, missed the last five games prior to the break after sustaining his abdominal strain on February 3. Oklahoma City has four games scheduled in the upcoming week.
Williams, an All-NBA selection from the previous season, was sidelined for 10 games following his right hamstring strain on January 17. He made his return for a February 9 victory against the Los Angeles Lakers but re-injured the hamstring in the Thunder’s subsequent game two nights later, where he scored 28 points in 20 minutes during a road win against the Phoenix Suns.
Mitchell has not participated in a game since he sustained his abdominal strain on January 21, missing the last 11 contests.
The Thunder currently lead the Western Conference with a 42-14 record, three games ahead of the San Antonio Spurs in the standings. The Detroit Pistons (40-13) have edged ahead of Oklahoma City by percentage points in the race for the league’s best record and homecourt advantage throughout the NBA Finals.
