Despite a 13-point Game 2 win on Wednesday night, OKC Thunder fans left the Paycom Center filled with apprehension and uncertainty.
Jalen Williams was well on his way to having one of the best postseason games of his young career when he appeared to have re-aggravated his left hamstring in the third quarter, the same one that caused him to miss most of the second half of the regular season.
The injury has been deemed a grade 1 hamstring strain and will be evaluated weekly, but an elongated absence could present the Thunder with a problem they are all too familiar with at this point.
Coach Mark Daigneault may once again have to call on Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's number to shoulder a disproportionate offensive load for the foreseeable future.
Thunder could find themselves back at square one
With J-Dub in the rotation, the Thunder easily looked like the deepest team in the playoffs.
Even ESPN analyst and Hall of Famer Charles Barkley mentioned at halftime that they had a big lineup, a small lineup, and a regular lineup, and they could call upon each one to beat an opponent depending on their roster makeup.
Williams plays a key role in that flexibility, as his defensive and offensive versatility allows coach Daigneault to mix and match accordingly.
A prolonged absence, however, could severely hinder that ability and bring the same team deficiencies from the beginning of the year to fruition again.
Early in the year, the Thunder were overly reliant on SGA's ability to carry the offense. There was no Jalen Williams, other key members like Isaiah Hartenstein were in and out of the lineup, and various role players were hit or miss, especially from beyond the arc.
Williams' return stretched out the floor and provided the Thunder with more weapons, even when he was playing at less than full strength.
His injury will now force a lesser offensive option into the starting lineup, which would direct more attention to Gilgeous-Alexander.
This brings up the legitimate question of whether SGA can handle that type of an offensive load in the playoffs, especially given the fact that he is already the third-most double-teamed player in the NBA this year.
It also calls into question OKC's legitimacy when compared to juggernauts like the Denver Nuggets and the San Antonio Spurs, the latter of whom proved to be the Thunder's toughest challenge during the regular season.
The saving grace could be the fact that the Thunder have two rounds before they have to worry about either of those teams.
OKC fans are likely anxious to hear an update on J-Dub's injury. If it lingers into the Western Conference Semifinals, they could find themselves in trouble.
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