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By Jayesh Pagar
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The Oklahoma City Thunder secured another win, but the result quickly became secondary.
A frightening injury to Jalen Williams left teammates shaken and raised fresh concerns about the team's season.
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Williams suffered a serious-looking lower left leg injury late in Oklahoma City's 108-101 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers. He was taken off the court on a stretcher as players from both teams gathered around him.
Head coach Mark Daigneault did not hide how deeply the moment affected his team.
“We’re not doing great. That’s tough on the guys. Everyone empathizes; I think both teams in those situations. So, yeah. Not doing great,” Daigneault said after the game.
The coach said Oklahoma City would regroup before focusing on basketball again. The team planned to meet Monday and share more information once it became available.
“I know they’ll be hungry to know how he’s doing and stuff like that,” Daigneault said. “But, at this point, you’ve just got to allow yourself to feel the way you do.”
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was also emotional when discussing his teammate. The reigning Thunder star kept his initial response simple.
“I just feel bad for him,” he said.
Gilgeous-Alexander then expressed confidence that Williams would recover and return to the court.
“He’s not gone forever. He’ll be back better than ever, and we know it,” he said. “We’ve just got to hold the fort down until he comes back.”
Williams' injury is particularly difficult given his recent history. He appeared in only 33 regular-season games last season after dealing with wrist and hamstring problems. His return to full health had been an important part of Oklahoma City's hopes of defending its NBA title.
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