Oklahoma City Thunder star wing Jalen Williams is officially available for Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals against the San Antonio Spurs on Monday night.
Williams has been out for nearly two weeks with a hamstring strain, just one of many injuries he’s dealt with this season, but so far for the Thunder, that hasn’t mattered, as they are undefeated in the playoffs so far.
Along with Williams being upgraded to available, Oklahoma City head coach Mark Daigneault recently announced news on the shooting guard as it relates to a minute restriction for Game 1 against the Spurs.
Is Jalen Williams On A Minute-Restriction? Thunder Announce Key Update For Game 1
GettyOKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA – JANUARY 23: Jalen Williams #8 of the Oklahoma City Thunder looks on during the second half against the Dallas Mavericks at Paycom Center on January 23, 2025 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
According to Daigneault, there will be no hard cap on Williams’ minutes in his first game back from injury since May 6, as the coach said pregame.
“Mark Daigneault said Jalen Williams doesn’t have a hard limit on his playing time tonight,” Clemente Almanza wrote in a post on X, confirming the news.
Williams averaged 26 minutes in the first, and only two playoff games he’s appeared in for the Thunder so far. That is a drop from the regular season, as in 33 games he played in 28.4 minutes per night.
However, Williams has a lengthy injury history, and going up against the Spurs, a team that is expected to give the Thunder a run for their money, having him healthy will be key for the defending champions.
It remains unclear if Williams is on an official minute restriction, but per his pregame comments, the 25-year-old might not be too limited in Game 1. Still, as is the case with every player coming back from an injury, it takes time to ramp back up.
Additionally, with the recent rise of Ajay Mitchell, who has been playing in Williams place, even if he stays around that 25-minute mark, as seen throughout the regular season and playoffs, that might not have a big impact on the Thunder compared to another team dealing with an injury to their second-best player.
Thunder Get Warned On Jalen Williams Injury For Game 1
GettyJalen Williams #8 of the Oklahoma City Thunder sits on the bench during the second half in Game Three of the Western Conference First Round NBA Playoffs at Mortgage Matchup Center on April 25, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. The Thunder defeated the Suns 121-109.
Getting Williams back from injury is big for the Thunder, despite what their record without him shows, as when healthy, he remains a top scorer and defensive option for the wing on the team.
However, with how well Oklahoma City has been playing, the team was recently warned about bringing back him, and what that could do to the flow of a rotation that has gone undefeated without him in the playoffs so far.
“The Jalen Williams thing…I know he’s going to be back and (the Thunder) feel good about it. But it’s a weird variable to introduce in the biggest series of the year,” Bill Simmons on his podcast said at roughly the one hour, 23-minute mark. “I don’t think it’s going to be seamless. And I do think OKC has too many guys. I don’t know about all the roles with all those guys…I don’t even think they know who their best five to seven guys are.”
In his two playoff games, Williams is averaging 20.5 points, four rebounds, and five assists. He hasn’t been a mainstay in the lineup this season with his multiple big injuries, but if he can remain healthy for the rest of the year, he’ll likely play a big part on the team going forward.
Thunder vs Spurs Game 1 tips off at 7:30 pm CST on Monday, May 18, and will be live on NBC and Peacock.
Is Jalen Williams On A Minute Restriction? Thunder Announce Key Game 1 Injury Update