How Jaylen Williams is taking advantage of OKC's NBA Cup loss

On the trail of losing your own NBA Cup semifinal game against the San Antonio Spurs, All-Star Jalen Williams and the Oklahoma City Thunder they got two extra days off before Thursday’s game against the Los Angeles Clippers. The The Thunder will get two chances against the Spurs to avenge the loss of the NBA Cup next week. In the meantime, however, Williams is using what he says feels like a mini-training camp.

After missing the first 19 games of the regular season, Williams and the Thunder played seven games in 15 days, including four road trips in the final stretch at Oklahoma City. For Williams, the time is right to slow things down, as the All-Star forward remains adjusting to your post-op approachhe said, according to Justin Martinez of the Oklahoman.

“It was good for me just because I didn’t have training camp or anything. So I was able to actually practice, which is nice,” Williams said. “So yeah, this was the first time I’ve had back-to-back days where I’ve actually practiced and used both hands. So that’s cool. You don’t get many days like that these days.”

“We’ve got to go through actual practice and kind of have a training camp flow, where we can reintegrate our principals, watch film, just do a whole deep dive into the season, while you’ve been successful. What we’ve been good at; what we’ve been bad at, and we just kind of dissect it, and we can actually work on it.”

Playing through his surgically repaired right wrist has been an adjustment for Williams, but these extra days off this week have helped him throughout the process.

“That was the hardest part, trying to figure out what’s still uncomfortable, but I’m doing it while we’re trying to win the game – the stakes. So that was cool,” Williams added. “I think I’ll be better for it later. But now I have to practice. I’ve forgotten what it was like. It’s always good to have these days to be able to do that.”

Jaylen Williams on the Thunder beat the Warriors record 73-9

Thunder guard Jalen Williams (8) stands with teammates during the national anthem before the game against the Portland Trail Blazers at the Moda Center — Troi Vairinen-Imagn Images

For Thunder All-Star Jaylen Williams, progressing through the 2025-26 regular season is always the goal for the defending champion. In the midst of his 24-2 start, Williams addressed the Thunder by beating the Warriors 73-9 record as the best regular season in NBA history.

While winning is always the goal at the end of the day, the Warriors’ rush regular season record not a particular goal for Williams this season.

“Is there a chance? Yeah, there’s a chance, I don’t know if that’s the goal,” Williams said. “I’m not even going to say we can’t do it. Nobody likes to lose. We don’t go into these games when we’re losing. Obviously there’s a bigger goal than the record. It’s more like, if we can go into every game and we can play those games and win them, and win them in a way that we’re comfortable winning, then, yeah.

“At the end of the day, I’m not going to limit our team, but that’s not the goal.”

Jaylen Williams on breaking the Warriors’ 73-9 record
“Yeah, there’s a chance, I wouldn’t say it’s the goal. Obviously there’s a bigger goal than the record.”
(via NBA IT) pic.twitter.com/e4uIchzoRg
— NBA Courtside (@NBA__Courtside) December 13, 2025