Oklahoma City Thunder star wing Jalen Williams has been ruled out of Friday night’s Game 3 of the Western Conference Finals against the San Antonio Spurs with a left hamstring injury, the team announced.
Sources told ESPN’s Shams Charania on Thursday that Williams will be evaluated on a day-by-day, game-by-game basis.
Williams is undergoing treatment and his return will be based on how he feels after suffering a second injury to the same hamstring in less than a month. Williams traveled to San Antonio with the Thunder on Thursday afternoon and was initially listed as questionable, but was ruled out 45 minutes before tipoff.
Williams, whose season has been hampered by injuries including strains in both hamstrings, played only seven minutes before being subbed out in the Thunder’s Game 2 win over the Spurs.
Williams missed six games with a Grade 1 left hamstring strain before returning for Monday’s series opener.
Williams, a third-team All-NBA selection last season who played a key role in the Thunder’s title run despite a right wrist injury that required offseason surgery, was limited to 33 games due to injuries during the regular season.
Williams missed the first 19 games while recovering from wrist surgery and then returned before the All-Star break before being sidelined for two extended games with a strained right hamstring.
Williams was off to a great start in the playoffs before straining his left hamstring during the third quarter of Oklahoma City’s Game 2 win over the Phoenix Suns. He had 22 points, seven rebounds and six assists in the playoff opener and had 19 points and four assists in just 23 minutes before fouling out in Game 2.
Williams had 26 points, seven rebounds and three assists in the Thunder’s double-overtime loss to the Spurs in Game 1 on Monday.