Thunder’s Jalen Williams reaggravates hamstring strain and will be re-evaluated after All-Star break
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Thunder guard/forward Jalen Williams sat out his team’s loss to the Milwaukee Bucks on Thursday night with a nagging right hamstring injury, and he could miss more action.
The team plans to re-evaluate Williams after the NBA All-Star break, Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said Thursday. The game against Milwaukee was Oklahoma City’s last before All-Star Weekend.
Last season, Williams was an All-Star, a third-team All-NBA selection and a second-team All-Defense pick who helped Oklahoma City win the championship. He missed the first month of this season while recovering from a wrist injury he suffered late last season and played through during the playoffs.
It is Williams’ second time being sidelined with the hamstring injury over the past month. He first hurt it during the Thunder’s Jan. 17 game against the Heat, clutching his leg after attempting to grab an awkward pass in the second quarter. He later was ruled out and missed the next 10 games.
He looked like the star he was last season when he returned to game action on Monday night, helping the Thunder to a 119-110 win against the Lakers with a 23-point performance.
“Against L.A., he was obviously a little rusty in the first half, but he tried to play with tremendous force in that game,” Daigneault said. “And then as the game wore on, especially in his last stint against the Lakers, he was really on the gas. Really closed that game for us offensively.”
He followed that with a season-high 28 points on 11-for-12 shooting in a 136-109 win in Phoenix on Wednesday.
“He obviously had a loud statistical night and great shot making,” Daigneault said. “Got himself to the line a little bit, found shooters, found rollers.”
The Thunder also are without reigning league MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander due to an abdominal strain. He also will be re-evaluated after the All-Star break.
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