Thunder's Jalen Williams: Ends first season on promising note
Rotowire
Williams posted 17 points (5-10 FG, 4-8 3Pt, 3-4 FT), four rebounds, five assists and three steals in 32 minutes during Friday's 120-95 Play-In Game loss to Minnesota.
Williams, at times, looked like the best player on the court for OKC in the team's most important game of the year, as he led the squad in assists and steals while tying for first in triples. Only Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored more points for the Thunder than Williams, but the star point guard shot a miserable 5-for-19 from the field as opposed to the rookie's 5-for-10 line. Williams was announced as a finalist for the NBA Rookie of the Year award Friday after finishing the campaign with averages of 14.1 points, 4.5 boards, 3.3 dimes and 1.4 steals. He was especially effective in the second half of the season when he averaged 18.6 points, 5.4 rebounds, 4.3 assists and 1.7 thefts while shooting 54.6 percent from the field and 88.0 percent from the charity stripe.
... See More... See Less
Thunder's Jalen Williams: Will play Wednesday
Rotowire
Williams (rest) isn't listed on the Thunder's injury report for Wednesday's game against the Pelicans.
Williams was sidelined for Sunday's regular-season finale due to rest purposes, but as expected, he'll be back in the mix for the Thunder's Play-In Tournament matchup versus New Orleans. Across 75 regular-season appearances (62 starts), the rookie first-round pick averaged 14.1 points, 4.5 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 1.4 steals in 30.3 minutes per game.
Williams will be rested for the Thunder's regular-season finale against the Grizzlies, Brandon Rahbar of DailyThunder.com reports.
Williams will be rested along with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Josh Giddey and Luguentz Dort, as they focus their sights on Wednesday's play-in game. Look for the likes of Ousmane Dieng, Dario Saric and Jeremiah Robinson-Earl to see some extra run as a result.
... See More... See Less
Thunder's Jalen Williams: Falls flat Thursday
Rotowire
Williams supplied nine points (4-10 FG, 1-4 3Pt), one rebound and five assists over 28 minutes during Thursday's 114-98 win over the Jazz.
Coming into the contest, Williams had scored in double figures in 13 of his past 14 appearances, averaging 18.0 points, 5.9 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 1.6 steals in 34.1 minutes during that stretch. Given his recent string of success, it's safe to chalk Thursday's outing up as an outlier. The Thunder are barely clinging to the final spot in the Play-In Tournament, so they'll need Williams at his best during Sunday's regular-season finale against Memphis.
... See More... See Less
Thunder's Jalen Williams: Game-high 27 points in win
Rotowire
Williams finished Wednesday's 107-106 victory over the Pistons with 27 points (11-19 FG, 1-1 3Pt, 4-4 FT), eight rebounds, six assists and one block in 37 minutes.
Williams put together a solid first half with 10 points on 4-of-9 shooting from the field to go along with four rebounds and two assists. However, he was especially productive in the second half by pouring in another 17 points, 10 of which came in the fourth quarter on 5-of-7 shooting as the Thunder pulled out the one-point victory at home. The Oklahoma City forward led the contest with 27 points while also grabbing a team-high eight rebounds. He's now broken the 20-point mark in three straight games.
Thunder's Jalen Williams: All-around performance in loss
Rotowire
Williams had 31 points (11-16 FG, 1-2 3Pt, 8-9 FT), three rebounds, four assists and four steals over 34 minutes during Tuesday's 137-134 loss to Charlotte.
Williams was one of three Thunder players to score at least 30 points with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (ankle) sidelined. The rookie's 31 points were one shy of his career high and marked his second game of the season with at least 30. The versatile wing also showcased his defensive prowess by grabbing a game-high four steals, giving him eight multi-steal games over 13 March appearances. During that stretch, Williams has averaged 19.7 points, 5.9 rebounds, 4.3 assists and 1.8 steals in 34.2 minutes with 56/48/86 shooting splits.
Williams closed Sunday's 118-112 victory over the Trail Blazers with 23 points (9-14 FG, 2-2 3Pt, 3-3 FT), five rebounds, four assists and two steals over 37 minutes.
Williams responded with an impressive showing on the offensive end after being held to three points on 3-for-10 from the field in his previous matchup Friday against the Lakers. He hit both of his tries from beyond the arc and all three from the charity stripe. The Santa Clara product has also added value for fantasy managers on the defensive end, recording at least one steal in six of his last seven games.
Williams contributed 20 points (8-15 FG, 2-4 3Pt, 2-2 FT), eight rebounds, three assists, one block and one steal across 37 minutes during Tuesday's 101-100 win over the Clippers.
Williams came two rebounds shy of a double-double, which would have been his third in the past five games. Since returning March 11 from a two-game absence due to a wrist injury, Williams has been a solid all-around contributor, averaging 16.8 points, 7.7 rebounds, 4.3 assists and 1.5 steals over a six-game stretch while shooting 50 percent from the field and 89.7 percent from the charity stripe.
Thunder's Jalen Williams: Tallies another double-double
Rotowire
Williams supplied 23 points (8-10 FG, 1-2 3Pt, 6-6 FT), 10 rebounds, three assists and two steals across 36 minutes during Tuesday's 121-107 victory over Brooklyn.
After a 7-for-18 showing from the field in Sunday's win over the Spurs, Williams easily got back over the 50 percent threshold for the 11th time in his last 13 games. He also managed to collect a double-double of a different sort, grabbing 10 boards Tuesday after dishing out 10 assists Sunday. Williams has stepped up for the Thunder through the first half of March and is now averaging 22.8 points, 6.0 rebounds, 5.2 assists across six games this month after putting up 14.9 points, 5.3 rebounds and 3.9 assists in 11 February appearances.
Williams closed with 21 points (7-18 FG, 1-4 3Pt, 6-7 FT), 10 assists and seven rebounds across 35 minutes during Sunday's 102-90 win over the Spurs.
Williams had an impressive night on the offensive end, leading the Thunder in both scoring and assists en route to notching his first double-double since Nov. 11. The Santa Clara product is off to a hot start in March, averaging 22.8 points, 5.2 rebounds, 5.6 assists, 2.2 steals and 1.8 treys through five appearances while shooting 58.9 percent from the field.
... See More... See Less
Thunder's Jalen Williams: Scores 17 points in return
Rotowire
Williams (wrist) accumulated 17 points (7-10 FG, 3-3 FT), four rebounds, three steals and two assists aacross 37 minutes during Saturday's 110-96 victory over the Pelicans.
Williams returned from a two-game absence Saturday and delivered an efficient showing from the field while also leaving a mark on the defensive end. He's recorded multiple steals in six straight contests and at least one steal in 13 straight games, bringing his season-long average up to 1.4 per game.
... See More... See Less
Thunder's Jalen Williams: Will return Saturday
Rotowire
Williams (wrist) will play Saturday against the Pelicans, Andrew Schlecht of The Athletic reports.
Williams missed both halves of the Thunder's recent back-to-back set due to a wrist injury, but he'll return to action Saturday. Before his absence, the rookie guard scored at least 20 points in five of his previous six appearances and averaged 23.3 points, 5.3 assists, 4.7 rebounds and 2.3 steals during that stretch.
... See More... See Less
Thunder's Jalen Williams: Out two games
Rotowire
Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault said that Williams (wrist) will remain out for Wednesday's game in Phoenix in addition to Tuesday's home game versus the Warriors, Rylan Stiles of FanSided.com reports.
Williams will miss both legs of the Thunder's back-to-back set due to a right wrist sprain. The Thunder could rely on a melange of players to fill the rookie's minutes, with Ousmane Dieng, Dario Saric and Isaiah Joe all being candidates to see extra playing time, among others. Williams' next chance to suit up comes Saturday versus the Pelicans.
... See More... See Less
Thunder's Jalen Williams: Downgraded to out
Rotowire
Williams (wrist) has been ruled out for Tuesday's matchup against the Warriors.
Williams will miss his first game since Oct. 27 due to a right wrist sprain. Given Tuesday's matchup is the first half of a back-to-back set, his absence could be a maintenance thing, but further clarity on the severity of the issue should surface after the game against Golden State. In Williams' absence, Dario Saric, Jeremiah Robinson-Earl and Ousmane Dieng could see increased run, though it's important to note coach Mark Daigneault often experiments with rotations.
... See More... See Less
Thunder's Jalen Williams: Questionable Tuesday
Rotowire
Williams is questionable for Tuesday's game against the Warriors due to a right wrist sprain.
Williams has been on a tear recently, scoring at least 20 points in five of his last six appearances. He's averaged 23.3 points, 5.3 assists, 4.7 rebounds and 2.3 steals in 32.2 minutes per game during that time, but it's not clear whether he'll be available Tuesday. If the 21-year-old is unable to suit up, Dario Saric, Jeremiah Robinson-Earl and Ousmane Dieng are candidates to see increased run.
