OKC Thunder inserted Ajay Mitchell in the starting lineup during Game 3 of their Round 1 series against the Phoenix Suns on Saturday night. It resulted in a 121-109 win for the Thunder to take a 3-0 lead in the series.
Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault praised Mitchell for his first NBA playoffs start, lauding his unafraid nature in the postseason after becoming the team’s secondary ball handler outside Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
“He’s obviously not shy. Winners fail and losers hide. He wasn’t hiding,” Daigneault said of Mitchell. “It is one things that I love from this team. We got a bunch of guys that lean in to the competition…He is not shying away from the moment. He was aggressive and he executes.”
“You know he is going to get better as the series goes and his career goes. I think he is outstanding.”
Mitchell finished with the second-most points for the Thunder with 15 on 5-of-20 shooting from the field. He also played 32 minutes on the floor, and tallied six rebounds, and two assists.
Gilgeous-Alexander had 42 points to lead the Thunder on a hyper-efficient 15-of-18 shooting from the field.
Mitchell was inserted into a starting role following the hamstring injury of Jalen Williams in Game 2. Williams will be re-evaluated every week as the Thunder navigate the playoffs with him not in 100 percent shape.
Mitchell only played 22 minutes in Game 1, where he logged nine points. In Game 2, he played 29 minutes and put up 14 points, five rebounds, and five assists.
Mitchell, who was picked by the Thunder in the second round of the 2024 NBA draft, missed most of last year’s playoffs due to a right foot injury.
He has since become a sparkplug off the bench for the Thunder throughout the season.
Ajay Mitchell Speaks on Dealing With Jalen Williams Injury
GettyJalen Williams will be re-evaluated every week.
Jalen Williams was a huge part of the Thunder’s 2025 NBA title run. Williams’ was the team’s second option after Gilgeous-Alexander and has been an elite two-way player throughout his NBA career.
With his injury, the Thunder is left with a hole, but Mitchell believed is ready to fill that, just like what they did for most of the regular season.
“This year, we had a lot of injuries. I had to adapt in a lot of ways and I think it really help us to come into the playoffs and have everyone ready to go,” he told reporters.
“Obviously, this sucks but I think we have a team where everyone’s ready to go and everybody is ready to fill in no matter what happens,” Mitchell added.
Mitchell is seen to continue filling the production left by Williams while he still recovers from an injury, his third hamstring setback this season.
Thunder Has Chance To Do What Has Yet to be Done in 8 Years
GettyOKC Thunder can be the first back-to-back champions in eight NBA seasons.
The Thunder has a chance to be the first team to win back-to-back NBA titles since 2018 when the Kevin Durant-led Golden State Warriors repeated against the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Over the last eight seasons, the NBA has seen eight different teams win a title. With the Thunder’s continuity, they could be poised to be the first team to break the trend.
However, they may need Jalen Williams healthy for the squad once more, especially in the later rounds.
Thunder Coach May Have Point to This Unafraid Player as Jalen Williams Replacement