OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Oklahoma City Thunder guard/forward Jalen Williams left in the third quarter Wednesday night gainst the Phoenix Suns with a left hamstring injury.
Williams missed a contested layup, took a few steps, then clutched his leg. Oklahoma City went on to win 120-107 for a 2-0 series lead.
Thunder coach Mark Daigneault did not clarify Williams' status after the game. Phoenix hosts Game 3 on Saturday.
"Any assumption about time missed is this hypothetical at this point, so I’m not going to comment on that," Daigneault said.
Williams, an All-Star in 2024-25, averaged 23.6 points, 5.0 rebounds and 3.7 assists in last year's NBA Finals win over the Indiana Pacers. He was a third-team All-NBA selection and second-team All-Defense.
He followed his breakout season with an injury-plagued campaign. He played just 33 games in the regular season, missing 19 games at the beginning of the season as he recovered from offseason surgery on his right wrist, then 30 more with a right hamstring injury.
He returned late in the regular season and said he felt healthy heading into the first-round series. His play showed it. In Game 1, he scored 22 points on 9-for-15 shooting in Oklahoma City's 119-84 victory.
He made his first six shots and had 19 points on 7-for-11 shooting from the field when he left Game 2.
“I thought he was playing great, obviously,” Daigneault said. "He was on the gas, he had great force, got really good shots, got some good shots for his teammates.”
If Williams is unable to play or his time is limited, Ajay Mitchell likely would step in. Mitchell played sparingly during last year’s title run, but the second-year guard from Belgium averaged 13.6 points and 3.6 assists this season. He was selected for the Rising Stars Showcase during All-Star Weekend, but did not play because of an abdominal strain.
Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander said Mitchell is ready for an increased role either way.
“He is very even-keeled, like, on and off the court,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “He’s just a guy that is always in the moment. He’s never too high, never too low, and it allows him to sustain a certain level of play and performance.”
AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA
Oklahoma City Thunder guard Jalen Williams, right, shoots over Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker during the second half in Game 2 of a first-round NBA playoffs basketball series Wednesday, April 22, 2026, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Kyle Phillips)
Phoenix Suns guard Jalen Green, left, shoots in front of Oklahoma City Thunder guard Jalen Williams during the first half in Game 2 of a first-round NBA playoffs basketball series Wednesay, April 22, 2026, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Kyle Phillips)
ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Matt Duchene tied it or Dallas on a power play midway through the third period, seconds after his backcheck on Matt Boldy averted a short-handed goal that would’ve put Minnesota up by two, and the Stars and Wild headed to double overtime early Thursday in Game 3 of their spirited first-round series.
The Wild had two power plays in the first overtime, with 1:10 left on the man advantage to carry into the second overtime.
Seconds after the audible thump from Stars goalie Jake Oettinger's blocker save on Brock Faber's slap shot, the Wild had another prime opportunity to win it when Quinn Hughes drew a tripping penalty on Sam Steel.
But even with Stars defenseman Radek Faksa playing most of that penalty kill without a stick, the Wild failed to generate much pressure. Jamie Benn's holding penalty on Nick Foligno gave them another try.
Oettinger and Wild goalie Jesper Wallstedt each made 26 saves over the first four periods.
The Wild killed four penalties between Mikko Rantanen's power play tip-in just 1:25 into the game and Duchene's crowd-quieting snap shot that slipped between defenseman Jared Spurgeon and the near post. That included 40 seconds of a 5-on-3 after Boldy's delay-of-game penalty late in the second period.
As soon as he left the box, Spurgeon saw an opening to start a rush that Michael McCarron finished with his first goal in the NHL playoffs to give the Wild a 3-2 lead.
Jason Robertson scored after a slick stretch pass by Duchene to put the Stars up 2-0 in the first period.
Marcus Johansson scored on a power play to start the rally less than five minutes later, and Joel Eriksson Ek had the tying goal in the second after a brilliant setup by Boldy. The U.S. Olympian, who had a career-high 42 goals during the regular season, weaved through four Stars skaters and drew a crowd behind the net before zipping the puck back into the slot for Eriksson Ek to knock in.
Entering these playoffs, the winner of Game 3 after a split of the first two games in a best-of-seven went on to win the series nearly two-thirds of the time (245 of 369) in NHL history.
The Wild, who have not advanced in the postseason since 2015, fell on the flip side of that ratio in each of their last three appearances. They won Game 3 to go up 2-1 on Vegas last year, on Dallas in 2023 and on St. Louis in 2022, before being eliminated with three straight losses every time.
AP NHL playoffs: https://apnews.com/hub/stanley-cup and https://apnews.com/hub/nhl
Dallas Stars goaltender Jake Oettinger (29) waits for play to resume after a goal scored by Minnesota Wild left wing Marcus Johansson (90) during the first period of Game 3 in the first-round of the NHL Stanley Cup hockey playoffs Wednesday, April 22, 2026, in St. Paul, Minn. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
Minnesota Wild left wing Marcus Johansson (90), left, celebrates with defenseman Brock Faber (7) after scoring a goal during the first period of Game 3 in the first-round of the NHL Stanley Cup hockey playoffs against the Dallas Stars Wednesday, April 22, 2026, in St. Paul, Minn. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
Minnesota Wild right wing Vladimir Tarasenko (91) skates with the puck as Dallas Stars defenseman Lian Bichsel (6) defends during the first period of Game 3 in the first-round of the NHL Stanley Cup hockey playoffs Wednesday, April 22, 2026, in St. Paul, Minn. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
Minnesota Wild center Joel Eriksson Ek (14) and Dallas Stars center Sam Steel (18) battle for the puck during the second period of Game 3 in the first round of the NHL Stanley Cup hockey playoffs Wednesday, April 22, 2026, in St. Paul, Minn. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
Dallas Stars center Wyatt Johnston (53) and Minnesota Wild left wing Kirill Kaprizov (97) battle for the puck during the second period of Game 3 in the first round of the NHL Stanley Cup hockey playoffs Wednesday, April 22, 2026, in St. Paul, Minn. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
