It’s not time to sound the alarm bells in Oklahoma City.
Yes, the Thunder lost 120-96 to the Dallas Mavericks on Wednesday night. But that was just the first loss for OKC after four wins to start the season. And although the injury list is getting quite concerning, there’s still solid talent available to the Thunder.
There is a little reason to pay attention, though, to some of the concerns that may be starting to brew.
One thing that stood out from Wednesday’s box score is that Jaylin Williams scored 0 points.
That’s both a problem for Williams and the Thunder — and it actually sums up something worth noting about OKC’s current predicament.
Why Didn’t Jaylin Williams Score?
Williams didn’t score not for lack of opportunity but for lack of execution and aggression.
The big fella played 20 minutes against the Mavs, but he took just two shots. They were both 3-pointers, and he missed both.
Williams didn’t get to the line despite being a sturdy interior presence.
His stat contributions in the loss were five rebounds and one assist. He was a plus-3 in a 24-point loss, which is something.
But the Williams 0 in the points column isn’t just about him. It tells the current story of why this setup could be more difficult for the Thunder than hoped.
OKC Thunder Potential Problem
The Thunder have had immense high-end talent over the last few seasons. That’s how they won a championship and have been one of the NBA’s best teams.
But they’ve also had just about as much depth as you could imagine. It’s been a strength of theirs that they could just turn to anyone on their roster and get positive contributions.
That depth is being severely tested. Jalen Williams and Cason Wallace are out long-term. Chet Holmgren and Alex Caruso are missing games right now, too.
The Thunder had already gotten rid of Luguentz Dort, Isaiah Joe and Aaron Wiggins this offseason. Their depth had been lightened a bit, and now injuries have delivered a big punch to the gut on the depth front.
That leaves players, in a way, trying to play above their level.
Ajay Mitchell is living up to it, dropping 29 points on 12-for-20 shooting on Wednesday night.
But it’s not easy to do that. Williams being held scoreless isn’t because he’s a bad player, but this is a tougher spot to exist in for the Thunder right now than it has been when things are going well.
They played an undrafted guard named Josh Dix for 24 minutes against the Mavs, and he went 1-for-8 from the floor.
This simply isn’t your usual Thunder roster construction from the last few seasons, not with the injuries like this. Players like Williams are built to be complementary pieces, but OKC is currently missing some of the featured actors, and that’s going to make everything tougher.
Why Jaylin Williams Scoring 0 Points Reveals Potential Thunder Problem