Jaylin Williams Providing Necessary Spark Plug For OKC Thunder

Oklahoma City's backup big man has been making the most of his minutes.

Mar 9, 2025; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA;Oklahoma City Thunder forward Jaylin Williams (6) shoots a three point basket against the Denver Nuggets during the second quarter at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images / Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

Sunday's game carried plenty of weight for Oklahoma City, even if the team has been conditioned to say each game matters the same. There are a handful of games every season that are just different, no matter how much you try and downplay them. A standalone national television game featuring the two runaway MVP candidates and the two best teams in the conference raises the stakes just a bit.

Of course, all the eyes were on Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Nikola Jokic. The two MVP candidates are having historic seasons, and both players are well deserving of the coveted award. Gilgeous-Alexander got the best of Jokic with a 40-point barrage. It wasn't all SGA though, as Oklahoma City's role players stepped up to steal a sliver of the spotlight.

Jalen Williams was terrific, and Chet Holmgren dominated his minutes. But Jaylin Williams once again found a way to make a massive impact in a short amount of time. It doesn't matter how many minutes he gets each night, he plays the same exact way in those minutes.

Over the last three games, Williams has had an unbelievable impact on both ends of the floor. He did it in a different way each game, too. In a pivotal road game in Memphis, he went a perfect 4-of-4 from behind the 3-point line. He had four rebounds and two blocks, too. He played 19 minutes as the team's sole backup big with Holmgren sidelined.

Then, in the Thunder's recent home win over Portland, he had an outing for the books. It was an odd game as Oklahoma City rested the majority of its rotational players, but Williams got a chance to help run the show. He got a heavy workload with 35 minutes and recorded a triple-double with 10 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists. He also added three steals and two blocks.

And, of course, Williams capped off this impressive stretch with another impactful performance on Sunday. With both Holmgren and Hartenstein active and in the lineup, he starred in yet another unique role. He only played nine minutes, but he was terrific. He drilled 3-of-5 triples and provided terrific defense on Nikola Jokic. He grabbed five rebounds and finished as a +12.

It's a luxury for Oklahoma City to have a guy like Jaylin Williams deep on the bench. He has been asked to play three completely different roles in three straight games and has had a massive impact in all three. The Thunder needed Williams to go 3-0, there's no doubt about it.

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