The Oklahoma City Thunder finally shook the monkey off their back on Tuesday night, defeating the San Antonio Spurs 119-98.
Before this victory, they were 0-3 against the Spurs this season. They have now reclaimed their spot as the top team in the NBA, and they have done so in dominant fashion.
In the process, however, there was perhaps an even more important development. Jalen Williams looked like his old self again after battling a lingering wrist injury for much of the season, posting 20 points on 9-of-15 shooting from the floor. Yet he took no attempts from 3-point range on the night.
Under normal circumstances, this would be concerning.
But Williams has found a way to remain effective even without his perimeter shot, and that could grant the Thunder their path to another championship.
Jalen Williams needs to be a primary offensive option, even if his 3-point shot isn't falling
This last stretch for Oklahoma City has been rough for multiple reasons, but their lackluster 3-point shooting as a team certainly deserves a hefty portion of the blame. Even with the recent wins they have stacked up, the Thunder are still 27th in the league in 3-point percentage since Christmas.
This is not entirely Williams' fault. But his struggles to find his footing since his return from injury have not helped in the slightest.
In the 22 games he's played this season, Williams has averaged 17.7 points, 4.8 rebounds and 5.5 assists, knocking down just 28.1% of his attempts from beyond the arc.
The Thunder's offense is constructed upon having two lethal offensive options in Williams and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Williams' reduced 3-point volume and efficiency have handicapped his game and prevented him from filling that role since his return.
Against San Antonio, however, he found a way to get to the cup even without the threat of his perimeter shot. Throughout the night, he sliced through the Spurs' defense with relative ease, showcasing his growing arsenal at and around the rim.
He's knocking down 72.4% of his shots at the rim this season.
Obviously, Williams backing off of his perimeter game entirely is not ideal for the Thunder. But Oklahoma City has enough shooters around him in the lineup to survive such a development.
What they need from Williams is to score consistently. If he can do so even while being primarily limited to the interior, the Thunder have found themselves a path to another championship.