After evening their best-of-seven semifinal series against the Nuggets at one game apiece, the Oklahoma City Thunder find themselves shipping out for a two-game stint in Denver.
Friday night marks the start of their Mile High City stretch, and the obvious aim for OKC should be to return the favor of stealing at least one win on the road and, in turn, taking back command of home-court advantage.
In order for them to accomplish such a goal, it will undoubtedly require a full team effort.
However, arguably the biggest X-factor in this particular pursuit is All-Star Jalen Williams, for not only would a string of strong showings better the Thunder’s odds of gaining a series lead, but it may also simultaneously silence any remaining doubts that he can serve as a trusty second option next to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
Thunder need Jalen Williams to have a strong showing out in Denver
Following last year’s ill-fated playoff run, much attention was drawn to the fact that Williams struggled to step up in times of need to help alleviate the pressures and offensive workload of SGA, as he finished round two by shooting just 42.4 percent from the floor and with a plus-minus rating of -1.3 while seeing just 38.5 percent of his field goals come unassisted.
Such shortcomings led to both fans and pundits begging the question of whether the forward has the capability to “run the show” on offense, especially when Gilgeous-Alexander is either taken out of the game or swarmed by an opposing defense.
Though these concerns seemed to stay somewhat relevant during the early stages of the 2024-25 regular season, through six games played in the playoffs Williams has laid out a case that such fears may be on the cusp of being put to rest, as he’s averaging 21.0 points, 5.3 rebounds, 5.3 assists, 1.3 steals, and 1.0 blocks on 48.5 percent shooting from deep.
What’s most important about his impact thus far is the fact that, with Williams on the floor and Gilgeous-Alexander off of it, the Thunder have still managed to maintain an elite-level offense, as they are posting 128.2 points per 100 possessions (95 percentile) while boasting an effective field goal percentage of 63.0 (99 percentile).
After a rather underwhelming series opener against the Nuggets, one where he posted 16 points on a putrid 25.0 percent shooting in a baffling last-second loss, the 24-year-old bounced back in a big way in Game 2, as he wrapped with 17 points on 54.5 percent shooting from the field during OKC’s 149-106 blowout win.
When Jalen Williams is playing at his best, the Thunder are truly one of the hardest teams to beat. Such a sentiment has been proven time and time again throughout the regular season and, now, during the 2025 NBA Playoffs.
For Oklahoma City to come out of their forthcoming two-game road trip with a series edge, and, frankly, to silence any remaining worries about whether or not they have a reliable number two option for their championship-hopeful aspirations, Jalen Williams will need to bring his A game.
