Jalen

Williams

Despite being without Jalen Williams (hamstring) since Game 2 of their first-round series against Phoenix, the Thunder have not skipped a beat. And they’ve got Mitchell to thank for that. The second-year guard, who was out injured for the team’s run to the title last spring, has scored at least 15 points in each of the five games he’s started this postseason. Mitchell finished Game 3 with playoff career-highs in points and assists, and he’s scored at least 20 points in three of his five starts. Oklahoma City holding a 3-0 series lead removes any urgency to get J-Dub back on the court, especially with Mitchell playing as well as he has.

On strictly two-pointers and free throws, Mitchell finished as one of three OKC players to reach 20 points in Game 2. He’s now scored at least 15 points in four of the Thunder’s six postseason games so far, making scoring outputs like Thursday’s more and more of the standard. Also notable was Mitchell’s effectiveness as a passer — he led his team in assists on the evening while committing just two turnovers in the process. Mitchell continues to fill nicely into the starting unit during Jalen Williams’ absence. He’ll likely remain an important piece as the series progresses.

Mitchell continues to play well as a starter in place of the injured Jalen Williams. He scored in double figures for a fourth straight game before finishing as one of the Thunder’s top scorers on the evening. Mitchell was also a willing facilitator in the victory, which helped him finish among OKC’s most impactful players by plus-minus. He’ll likely remain in the starting unit for as long as Williams is sidelined, allowing him more opportunities to log strong performances.

With no Jalen Williams, who’s week-to-week with a hamstring injury, Mitchell entered the Thunder starting lineup for Game 3. Unsurprisingly, the Suns were fine with the second-year guard getting up shots, and his 20 attempts led Oklahoma City. Mitchell did not shoot the ball well, making 25 percent of his attempts, but the Thunder had enough production from other players to compensate. Just as important was his not hesitating to take those shots, and Oklahoma City will want that to remain the case in Game 4 on Monday.

Jay Dub will be out for at least a week as the Thunder head to Phoenix. His absence means that Cason Wallace, Alex Caruso and Aaron Wiggins could all see additional run.

Williams got off to a blazing-hot start in Wednesday’s contest, scoring all 19 of his points in the first half, missing only one shot along the way; he scored it effectively both inside and outside the paint. Yet, his night ended prematurely after injuring his hamstring midway through the third quarter on a driving layup attempt. He exited the game at the next deadball, exited to the locker room, and never returned to the game. Williams was never officially ruled out, so perhaps that’s an encouraging sign ahead of Game 3. His status is certainly one to monitor over the coming days.

J-Dub and the Thunder grabbed control of Game 1 early and never looked back, winning by 35 points. As a playmaker, Williams was especially impactful during the second quarter, as he accounted for six points and four assists. Oklahoma City is a heavy favorite in this series, and its depth and defense carried the day in Game 1. They’ll look to do the same in Game 2 on Wednesday.

Gilgeous-Alexander, Williams and Joe remain out for Oklahoma City’s final regular-season game, as the outcome will not affect playoff seeding. Nikola Topić started at point guard on Friday and played 39 minutes; he’ll likely take on a similar workload on Sunday. Brooks Barnhizer and Payton Sandfort played significant minutes off the bench against the Nuggets and will remain in the rotation.

Williams and Caruso are several key Thunder players who will miss Friday’s game, as the Thunder have officially clinched homecourt advantage throughout the postseason. The roster runs deep; guys like Aaron Wiggins and Jared McCain could see an increased workload against Denver.

With Jalen Williams back in the lineup, the Thunder will roll out their preferred starting unit, one that has started only 10 games together this season. They’ll look to both find a rhythm and lock up the first seed in the Western Conference during the final week of the regular season.