Jalen Williams pranks Shai Gilgeous-Alexander with a free throw after a career night
The Oklahoma City Thunder got a significant boost on Monday as a forward Jaylen Williams is back in the lineup after missing 10 games with a right hamstring strain. Despite dealing with a nagging wrist injury that affected his shooting comfort during the 2025-26 season, Williams proved to be an essential offensive creator and versatile defender in his first game back.
His return was perfectly timed for the defending champions, who were going through a rough patch while missing the All-Star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
Williams helped the Thunder snap a two-game skid to maintain the lead in the Western Conference standings with a sharp performance against the Los Angeles Lakers.
The highlight of the evening was Williams’ aggression when attacking the basket.
According to Lou Murray at X, Jaylen Williams scored 23 points while making 11 of 13 free throws, both of which were game-highs, and also made 11 free throws. marked a new peak in his career for a young striker.
When asked about his frequent trips to charity events, Williams gave a funny explanation regarding the absence of the team’s primary star.
“If you want to be honest, Shai isn’t there, so now I’m getting some of the calls…”
Complementing Williams’ performance it was a great effort from the Thunder bench, especially Isaiah Joe.
Joe, who saw increased minutes during this injury-riddled stretch, finished with 19 points and provided a game-high performance by outplaying LeBron James for a huge two-handed dunk.
A collective effort from the rotation, including power players like Alex Caruso and Aaron Wiggins, ensured the Thunder didn’t shrink against a veteran Lakers squad.
With Williams back on the wing and players stepping up, Oklahoma City heads into its next matchup against the Suns with renewed momentum ahead of the upcoming All-Star break.
2026-02-10 14:45:00
