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Mark Daigneault’s encouraging take on Thunder Jalen Williams’ return from injury
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OKLAHOMA CITY — Oklahoma City Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault likes what he's seeing from Jalen Williams , who played in his third game since his second hamstring injury of 2025-26. With eight games left in the regular season, Williams is clearing mental hurdles in his return . He finished with 18 points, eight assists, six rebounds, and one steal.
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Williams' aggressive approach led to a series of drives to the rim, which often resulted in a kick-out pass to a Thunder teammate for an open shot or a layup. Either way, Daigneault was encouraged by how Williams has progressed, thus far.
"He was on it tonight. And I think that opens up his playmaking, too — when he's playing like that cause he's touching the paint," Daigneault said. "Then, he can get his vision and his reads of the game, which he's exceptional at. So, he played a really good game."
Williams was 8-for-16 from the floor. Thunder All-Star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander finished with 25 points, five assists, and three blocks, and Cason Wallace added 21 points, including five threes, and three steals.
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Jalen Williams on his return from injury for Thunder
Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images
Starting forward Jalen Williams is helping the Thunder secure first place ahead of the Spurs with the same sense of urgency that's kept the defending champions atop the Western Conference standings all season. Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault reminded reporters that playoff positioning isn't a source of motivation for his team. As for Williams, overcoming the physical setbacks isn't a concern; finding mental focus is the next hurdle.
"The biggest thing for me is a mental thing. Last time I strained it, I felt good. And I had pulled it trying to reach for a pass," Williams said. "It's one of those things where, just over time, the more you get reps doing it, you stop thinking about it. So, that's kind of where I'm at, where I'm not thinking about it. I can kind of do a lot more of my normal moves, stop, and not have it in the back of my mind."
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Fortunately for Williams, he still has time, with eight games left in the regular season.
"I've done a good job rehabbing. I'm integrating more and more minutes, as it comes to it," Williams added. "Just getting my feet and stuff is the biggest thing. But I'm not in the game like 'I have to get to the rim right now.' It's just more like, can I consistently make the plays that I usually make?"
The Thunder will host the Knicks on Sunday.
Related: Thunder's Jalen Williams reveals why he isn't thinking about hamstring injury after return
Related: Why Thunder doesn't base 'sense of urgency' on the standings
