After finishing with the NBA’s best record this season, the Oklahoma City Thunder entered the playoffs as the overwhelming favorites to win their second-straight championship. But in the Western Conference Finals, they are facing their toughest fight yet: Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs.
Following a loss in Game 4, the Thunder are now tied 2-2, with Game 5 back at home. Even as the pressure mounts, however, forward Jaylin Williams says he will not change his approach now. Despite going 1-7 in Sunday’s loss (103-82), he has not lost faith in his team’s chances to secure victory in the series.
“We got a lot of good open shots,” said Williams, via Clemente Alamanza. “I’m confident in my shot. I shot terribly in the last game, I understand that. But if I get those same looks tonight, I’ll shoot them. I think everybody on our team they are confident in their abilities. We just have to trust in the process, trust in the open shots, trust ourselves, and trust each other.”
On all fronts, Game 4 was a disaster for the Thunder, and they looked foreign from the team we saw dominate the league for months. With just 33.0% shooting from the field, it was rock bottom for the franchise, but their title ambitions are not dead yet. In fact, the vibes are still as strong as ever going into tonight’s pivotal matchup.
The Thunder are welcomed back at the OKC airport after their Game 4 loss to the Spurs pic.twitter.com/1mq3WebtZw
— Clemente Almanza (@CAlmanza1007) May 25, 2026
While some of the more optimistic fans might have expected a sweep, Williams knew better. Between two equally talented and competitive teams, he expected a bitter fight and a fierce challenge that would push his squad to the limit. The only thing that caught him off guard was the ferocity of the enemy crowd.
“It’s what I expected,” Williams added. “What surprised me, actually, is how loud their crowd was. I think it was really impressive. How the environment and its crowd were. It was a fun environment to play in.”
Overall, it’s been a wild ride for the Thunder. They won eight straight games before the West Finals, and now they’ve lost two out of their last four. Keeping a cool head through it all hasn’t been easy, but Williams credits his team’s chemistry for helping them pull through.
“I think a lot of it just goes back to our chemistry as a team,” said Williams. “When guys have tough games or good games, the way that we talk to each other, the way that we’re around each other doesn’t change.”
The good news for the Thunder is that they are back on friendly ground tonight. With only one loss at Paycom Center for the entire postseason, they have the advantage in Game 6, with the chance to take a commanding 3-2 series lead. Of course, with multiple setbacks on the injury front, Oklahoma City will have to adjust, but they’ve already shown they can respond to various situations. Shorthanded or not, we can expect a fierce resistance from the home team as they look to contain the rising Spurs.
