Jalen Williams day-to-day with hamstring

Oklahoma City Thunder forward Jalen Williams is day-to-day after leaving Game 2 of the Western Conference finals on May 21 with left hamstring tightness, according to ESPN, as the series with the San Antonio Spurs shifts to San Antonio. NBC Sports reported Williams and Spurs rookie Dylan Harper both underwent MRIs after exiting the game, with their availability for Game 3 still unclear. Oklahoma City won Game 2 by a 122-113 score to even the series at 1-1, but Williams’ status became the immediate focus afterward. Williams had already missed six playoff games earlier in the postseason because of a left hamstring strain. ### How did Williams get hurt in Game 2? Williams played just seven minutes on May 21 before leaving the floor and later being ruled out for the night, NBC Sports reported. The same report said he received treatment on the bench before heading to the locker room, and that the issue involved the same left hamstring that sidelined him earlier in the playoffs. Oklahoma City listed the in-game issue as left hamstring tightness, according to local and national reports. (gmanetwork.com) ### Why is this hamstring issue more significant than a routine playoff knock? NBC Sports reported Williams previously missed six Thunder playoff games — two against the Suns and the entire Lakers series — because of a left hamstring strain. Yahoo Sports and other follow-up reports described the latest setback as another issue involving that same area, which matters because it came less than two games after he returned to a central role in the Western Conference finals. (nbcsports.com) Williams was an All-NBA selection a season ago and has remained one of Oklahoma City’s primary two-way players when available. ### What had Williams done in the series before the injury? Williams scored 26 points and grabbed seven rebounds in Game 1, NBC Sports reported, giving Oklahoma City a major secondary scorer next to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. In Game 2, he finished with four points and one rebound before exiting, according to The Oklahoman. The contrast between those two games underscores how quickly Oklahoma City’s rotation changes when Williams is limited. (nbcsports.com) ### Who else is dealing with an injury in this series? San Antonio guard Dylan Harper also left Game 2 and underwent an MRI, NBC Sports reported. Harper had broken out in Game 1 with 24 points, 11 rebounds, six assists and seven steals while starting in place of De’Aaron Fox, who remained out with an ankle injury, according to NBC Sports. Spurs coach Mitch Johnson said after Game 2 that Oklahoma City’s pressure becomes harder to manage when San Antonio is missing primary creators. “So when you’re down some of your primary creators and initiators, it causes a little bit of an extra strain,” Johnson said, according to NBC Sports. (nbcsports.com) ### What is Williams’ status for Game 3? The Thunder listed Williams as questionable for Game 3 with left hamstring soreness, according to multiple reports citing the official NBA injury report. ESPN’s update, as carried by Reuters and other outlets, said he would be evaluated daily and treated game to game. NBC Sports said official word on Williams and Harper was expected closer to Friday’s tipoff. (nbcsports.com) ### When will the next update come? Game 3 is set for Friday night, May 22, in San Antonio, with NBC Sports listing tipoff at 8:30 p.m. ET. The NBA’s injury-report rules require teams to update player designations ahead of games, and Williams’ final status is expected closer to tipoff as Oklahoma City and San Antonio prepare for the next game in a series tied 1-1. (nbcsports.com) (heavy.com)