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The Oklahoma City Thunder are going to have to get it done without Jalen Williams.
OKC is hosting Game 7 of the Western Conference Finals on Saturday night, and their second-leading scorer is out. The San Antonio Spurs are coming to town after a resounding Game 6 win at home.
Williams played in Game 6, although not up to his usual standard.
And now, with the whole season hanging in the balance, the Thunder have already ruled Williams out for Game 7.
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Why isn't Jalen Williams playing tonight?
Williams is missing Game 7 due to injury.
His left hamstring injury that he dealt with for much of the season got worse in Game 2. He then missed Games 3, 4 and 5.
Williams returned for Game 6, but he got only 10 minutes off the bench.
"He's obviously not 100%," Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said after Game 6. "He didn't know what to expect. I didn't know what to expect. So it was a matter of getting him out there in kind of an insulated role and see what he can bring to the team. He's an All-Star player, he's an All-NBA player. He hasn't done a full return to play [protocol] like he would if this was the regular season, and yet he just wants to do whatever he can to try to contribute whatever he can to the team."
Williams didn't speak with the media after Game 6, and the Thunder ruled him out a day in advance of Game 7.
Without Williams, the likes of Jared McCain and Alex Caruso have been relied upon heavily, and they've mostly delivered when the Thunder have been at home.
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Will Jalen Williams play in the NBA Finals?
To get Williams back on the court this season, the Thunder will first have to win Saturday night without him.
It's not yet clear when he might be able to return.
Game 1 of the NBA Finals is scheduled for Wednesday against the New York Knicks, and OKC would be home if they advance.
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