The OKC star who will miss Game 7 against the Spurs

Oklahoma City Thunder will face the seventh game of the Western Conference finals in the 2026 NBA Playoffs without one of its key players. Jalen Williams has been officially ruled out for the decisive Saturday match against the San Antonio Spurs due to the left hamstring injury he has been dealing with since the second game of the series.

Williams attempted a return in the sixth game after missing three consecutive games, but he could only play 10 minutes coming off the bench in the hard-fought 118-91 loss in San Antonio.

After the game, coach Mark Daigneault made it clear that Williams was still far from feeling physically ready.

“He's not at 100%,” the coach explained. “We didn't know exactly what to expect. We wanted to give him a controlled role to see how much he could help. He's an All-Star and All-NBA player, but he hasn't followed a normal return process like during the regular season.”

Daigneault also publicly defended his star despite the loss.

“I give him a lot of credit for trying to play. He did everything he could to help the team, and he's not responsible for what happened,” he pointed out.

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A Clearly Limited Comeback

During his time on the court, Williams showed a lack of rhythm and mobility. He lost two balls, including one that went directly out of bounds, and never managed to find offensive explosiveness or defensive impact.

After the game, he left the Frost Bank Center without speaking to the media, and hours later Thunder officially confirmed that he would not be available for the seventh game.

A Season Marked by Injuries

Williams' season has been constantly affected by physical issues.

The small forward, a member of the All-NBA third team last season and a key piece in Oklahoma City's title triumph, could only play 33 regular-season games. He had to recover from wrist surgery in the summer and later suffered recurring problems in both hamstrings.

The current injury came in the second playoff game and kept him out for six games before hurriedly reappearing in this series against the Spurs.

Thunder's Ticket to the Finals on the Line

Without Williams, Oklahoma City will have to rely even more on Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the rest of the young core to try to overcome San Antonio in the deciding match.

The winner of the series will advance to the NBA Finals, where the New York Knicks are already waiting. The first game is scheduled for Wednesday in Oklahoma City.