Jalen Williams has been sidelined (Image via NBA) Due to a right hamstring strain, forward Jalen Williams will not play for the Oklahoma City Thunder against the Cleveland Cavaliers on the road on Monday. Williams was hurt in the second quarter of Oklahoma City’s 122-120 road defeat to the Miami Heat on Saturday. He is classified as out for Monday’s road game against Cleveland at 1:30 p.m. CST, but a date for his recovery has not yet been provided. After having their five-game winning streak ended on Saturday in Miami, Oklahoma City is trying to get back on track on Monday, but the Thunder will have a hard time getting back on track due to their injury report. OKC will probably rely on Ajay Mitchell.
Jalen Williams suffers another injury setback after exiting Heat loss with hamstring issue
Jalen Williams has a right hamstring strain, according to the OKC Thunder’s injury report released on Sunday. However, Williams has only appeared in 24 of Oklahoma City’s 43 games this season due to injury.Midway through the second quarter of Oklahoma City’s 122-120 loss to the Miami Heat on Saturday night, Williams left the game due to what the Thunder at the time described as thigh soreness.Williams had a terrible setback after missing the first 19 games of the season due to a right shooting wrist injury that necessitated two surgeries. The All-NBA forward averages 4.8 rebounds, 5.6 assists, and 16.8 points.Jalen Williams turned the corner downhill from a Chet Holmgren screen in the middle of the second quarter of a game in which he looked more like himself than at any other point this season. As the defense collapsed on him, he attempted to loft a pass to Holmgren, but it sailed out of bounds as Williams reached for the back side of his leg, hobbling the baseline and remaining on that end of the court unable to get back on defense. The 2022 lottery pick was able to gather himself under the hoop and limp to the locker room as the Oklahoma City Thunder called a timeout during the Heat’s five-on-four possession. Due to pain in his right thigh, the squad decided to bench him for the second half in South Beach.
Thunder face mounting injury concerns as Jalen Williams and Isaiah Hartenstein remain sidelined
Since the Thunder selected him 12th overall in the 2022 draft, the fourth-year professional, who was an All-Star last season, has averaged 18.0 points, 4.6 rebounds, 4.4 assists, and 1.4 steals per game in 239 games.Isaiah Hartenstein, the Thunder’s big man, was also sidelined for the 12th consecutive game due to a calf injury. How long the reigning NBA champions will be without their all-star forward is unclear. With 16.8 points per game, Williams is third on the club. He also averages 5.6 assists, 4.8 rebounds, and 1.3 steals. Two of OKC’s regular starters are now out. Due to a right soleus (calf) injury, Isaiah Hartenstein will also miss his 12th consecutive game on Monday.Darius Garland is expected to lose a lengthy amount of time for the Cavaliers due to a right great toe sprain, thus Cleveland is also short-staffed going into this game. For this midday match, Max Strus and Sam Merrill will accompany him in street attire.