For the first time since the 2025 NBA Finals, the Oklahoma City Thunder have been pushed to the brink of elimination. While the defending champions still feel strongly about their odds to advance, the latest injury blow does not help their cause.
In the team’s latest report on Friday, star swingman Jalen Williams was officially ruled out with a left hamstring strain. He will join Thomas Sorber (ACL recovery) and Ajay Mitchell (right soleus strain) on the sidelines, marking three absences in total for Oklahoma City. The San Antonio Spurs, meanwhile, have a clean injury report despite recent scares for Dylan Harper and De’Aaron Fox.
At 64-18, the Thunder were favored to win it all long before the playoffs began. Led by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Chet Holmgren, they’ve been dominating opponents with depth, star power, and a team-first mentality that has everyone thriving in their role. As a first-time All-Star last year, Jalen Williams is also a major piece of the puzzle (17.1 points, 4.6 rebounds, 5.5 assists, 1.2 steals, and 0.3 blocks per game on 48.4% shooting from the field in 2025-26), but his availability is doubtful for the rest of the postseason.
Williams, 25, has been in and out of the lineup all year. Dating back to the regular season, when he played just 33 out of 82 games, he’s struggled with various setbacks, including a torn wrist ligament and a right hamstring strain. Now, it’s a left hamstring strain that’s costing Williams games, and it couldn’t come at a worse time.
Ajay Mitchell is also set to miss tomorrow’s game as he nurses a calf injury. The setback occurred in Game 3 of the series, limiting him to just 17 minutes in the 123-108 win over the Spurs. He hasn’t played since, and there is no official timetable for his return. As one of the leading candidates for Sixth Man of the Year, his unavailability leaves OKC vulnerable in the backcourt, especially off the bench, where Mitchell was adding 13.6 points, 3.3 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 1.2 steals, and 0.3 blocks per game on 48.5% shooting and 34.7% shooting from the field.
Fortunately for the Thunder, they have more than enough depth to counter their losses. Even without Mitchell or Williams, they can lean on consistent contributors like Alex Caruso, Cason Wallace, and Jared McCain to come through. That’s not counting the main star duo (Shai and Holmgren), who have been heads and shoulders above the competition.
For this decisive Game 7, the Thunder will need all the help they can get to stave off the enemy, and they are coming in at a major disadvantage. With the enemy down, arguably, its second-best player, the Spurs can focus more on the main duo, which has been wreaking havoc all series. Whether it will be enough to pull off the upset remains to be seen, but injuries have certainly had an impact.
If any team can overcome these obstacles, it’s this Thunder team, but they only have one more chance to save their season. A loss here will end this campaign and could raise some questions about the team’s trajectory going forward. For now, it’s still full preparation mode as players, coaches, and team staffers gear up for an intense playoff showdown.
