Hamstring strains are, unfortunately, something the Denver Nuggets have experienced too often over the past year. The Oklahoma City Thunder have too, with Jalen Williams playing just 33 regular-season games while recovering from wrist surgery and dealing with a right hamstring strain. Now, in the playoffs, he's trying to work his way back from a left hamstring strain.
He's listed as questionable for Game 5 on Tuesday evening, with the injury going from hamstring soreness to a strain. That's a significant change, one that the Thunder need to be cautious with, no matter that they're tied 2-2 with the Spurs.
Let's refer back to Aaron Gordon.
The Nuggets forward strained his hamstring in Game 6 of the semifinals last year against OKC and was out there for Game 7, but he was a shell of his typical self. The hamstring issues followed him into this season, during which he missed well over a month with a strain. He returned at the beginning of January, but didn't last for the full month before he re-aggravated it by doing too much too soon.
Williams is in the same boat. He played the first two games of the Thunder's first-round series against the Suns, and missed the team's sweep over the Lakers in the semifinals. He returned in Game 1 of the conference finals versus the Spurs, playing 37 minutes in the overtime loss. He played just seven minutes in Game 2 before exiting, and hasn't played since.
Thunder can't push Jalen Williams past his limits
Oklahoma City didn't need Williams in the first two rounds, winning eight straight, but San Antonio is a different beast. The Thunder want their No. 2 guy out there, and you know he wants to be out there in their quest to repeat as champions, but soft-tissue injuries are a pain. They can try to learn something from the Nuggets in that regard.
As admirable as it is that Gordon wanted to be out there in Game 7 last year, it wasn't worth it. It's impossible to be your typical athletic, explosive self when you're dealing with a hamstring issue. It's hard enough to get up and down the court.
Trying to play through the pain last year didn't work out for AG or Denver, as his hamstring issues carried over into the 2025-26 season. The Thunder don't want that to be the case for Williams. He's too important.
Hamstring strains can change the course of a season
Soft-tissue injuries are popping up more and more with NBA players. Peyton Watson didn't play at all in the playoffs because of one (and it was the second time during the season he missed time because of it). Neither did Luka Dončić, who even went to Spain for treatment but still wasn't able to return for the Lakers, despite optimism he'd be able to play again.
There are limits players push past to be out there on the court with their teammates, but it's hard to overcome a hamstring injury without proper rest and recovery. Even then, there are concerns. Again, refer back to AG this past season.
If Williams does play tonight, he won't be anywhere close to 100 percent, which defeats the purpose of having him potentially aggravating his hamstring even worse. Oklahoma City needs to do what's best for his future, and to do so, the team probably needs to take the loss of not letting him play again in the postseason.
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