The verdict is in as the OKC Thunder approach their Game 1 semifinal series against the Lakers: Jalen Williams will be held out for his third-straight game.
Shocking, this news is not. Frankly, considering the nagging right hamstring strains he dealt with all throughout the regular season, it only makes sense that Oklahoma City is taking things slow now that his left hammy has flared up.
Regardless of the logic behind this decision by the medical staff, it doesn't make the longing from Thunder fans to see the All-Star return to the hardwood any less intense. After all, he was a major part of their title run a season ago and is objectively the club's primary go-to offensive weapon outside of superstar Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
Fortunately, as a result of Williams' injury-plagued season, coach Mark Daigneault has found a highly efficient replacement option in the pecking order in Ajay Mitchell.
Now, despite a rather strong close to their first-round series against the Phoenix Suns, where he dropped 22 points on 66.7 percent shooting from deep in Game 4, his playoff production up to this point hasn't necessarily lived up to this lofty descriptor, especially in the efficiency department, where he wrapped with a putrid 36.4 percent shooting from the floor.
However, Los Angeles presents the sophomore with an opportunity to break out of his ongoing slump.
Lakers defense gives Thunder guard a major advantage
It just so happens that what Mitchell thrives at is exactly what Los Angeles has proven to struggle with throughout the 2025-26 campaign.
During the regular season, the Lakers' defense ranked astonishingly low in both the 20 percentile in mid-range defense and the 29 percentile in rim defense, while Mitchell saw roughly 73 percent of his shots come from both areas of the floor.
Of course, the beauty of the guard's game is that he's far from a mere one-trick pony.
Here in his second season with the Thunder, Mitchell has quietly established himself as one of the game's best young talents after posting impressive, two-way averages of 13.6 points, 3.6 assists, 3.3 rebounds, and 1.2 steals per game while shooting 48.5 percent from the floor.
There's no denying Mitchell's high-end potential when he's in a flow.
Sadly, the Suns' ninth-ranked defense seemed to take him out of his rhythm in round one, but Los Angeles' 10-worst punch on the less glamorous side of the ball presents a golden opportunity for him to bounce right back, which, without J-Dub's services, is something the Thunder could certainly use.
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