Jalen Williams Shows Promise, Resiliency in Latest OKC Thunder Win

Oklahoma City’s second All-Star showed up big in the team’s bounce back win.

Apr 8, 2025; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder forward Jalen Williams (8) drives to the basket against the Los Angeles Lakers during the second half at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images / Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

Oklahoma City got back on track Tuesday night, avenging its disappointing loss to the Lakers and snapping a rare two-game winning streak. The Lakers continued to make it rain from the outside, but the Thunder played more like the team we’ve seen all season long.

Of course, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was the one who pulled through for the Thunder. He has been the most reliable player in the league all season long, and it was expected that he would lead the bounce back charge.

It was Jalen Williams, though, who pushed the Thunder over the top and became the X-Factor. That’s been the case all season, too, when Williams and Gilgeous-Alexander are both playing at a high level this team is nearly impossible to stop.

The first time All-Star had a terrific first half, chipping in 17 points for the Thunder. He struggled mightily in the third quarter though, and as a result, the team struggled too. Williams was 0-for-4 with zero points and a -10 in the third frame alone. His bounce back was a big reason Oklahoma City won the game. He didn’t lose any confidence and rebounded with a huge final frame. In 10 fourth quarter minutes, Williams totaled nine points on 3-of-5 shooting and was a +18.

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All in all, he totaled 26 points, four rebounds, and four assists against one of the hottest teams in the NBA. Plenty of unfair criticism has been thrown at Williams this season, but he has shown up in a ton of big games for this Thunder team. The stage in the playoffs will certainly be bigger and brighter in the playoffs, though.

All things considered, Williams had a solid first showing in the playoffs a season ago, even if the media changes the narrative. He was on pace with his numbers over the course of the season. But with another year of improvement and an All-Star nod under his belt, more will be expected this time around. Many people talk about game changers for the Thunder, but Williams will always be at the top of that pole.

Oklahoma City will rely on him heavily in the playoffs, and Tuesday night was a good sign for his confidence. The Thunder’s ceiling is exponentially higher when Williams produces like an All-Star.

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