The Thunder were on the verge of going down 3-1 entering the fourth quarter in Game 4. However, the dynamic duo of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams combining for 62 points helped the Thunder pull off a win on the road to tie it up 2-2. Then, in a pivotal Game 5, the biggest game in Thunder history, Williams backed it up with a playoff career high of 40 points to help the Thunder take a commanding 3-2 series lead. Williams has shown a ton of uncommon growth and maturity in these playoffs, for only being a third-year player in the NBA, and he has the potential to help make this a special next decade in OKC.
However, the positives that Williams has shown recently haven’t always been there, and there were many doubts about whether Williams can be that second option. It showed up in the Nuggets series, where he was inconsistent and people were questioning whether or not he was still ready. However, since then, he has averaged 22.2 points per game in the Western Conference Finals and is averaging 25.8 points per game in the NBA Finals. He has helped the Thunder get one win away from the NBA Finals. Let’s dive into Williams’ recent play and why this can turn out to be special for OKC in the future.
Jalen Williams Has Proved His Doubters Wrong in the NBA Finals
Jalen Williams’ Early Struggles
Williams has grown early and fast at a high rate from increasing his points by five from his rookie season to his second season in the NBA. Then he went from being a borderline all-star to becoming a first-time All-Star player this year, and helped the Thunder achieve 68 wins this year. All the signs were there for him to become a special player for the Thunder in the future. However, it was still unclear if he was ready to be the second option in a playoff setting.
Last year in the Mavericks series, the answer to those questions was no, as he struggled immensely on the offensive side. This year, those same problems happened in the Nuggets series, as he struggled once again in the second round of the playoffs. It seemed like Williams wasn’t ready yet, even though he showed small signs of improvement in the Nuggets series; he still struggled. The question became, are the Thunder putting too much pressure on a third-year NBA player to be the second go-to scorer on a championship team? However, since Game 7 of the Nuggets series, Williams has been on a tear and has been everything the Thunder had hoped for. The only question is, how did he get there?
Williams Has Learned From His Mistakes
Williams has finally learned from his mistakes in the playoffs and has turned the corner because of it. In the Mavericks series, he was being too passive, simply trying to make the right play. However, this year he learned from that and was better at when to hunt for his shots and when to be passive. In the Nuggets series, his process of getting to his spots, not rushing, and when to be passive were all there, but the shots just weren’t falling. Even though Williams struggled, he still made timely and clutch baskets for OKC to help them win tough games against the Nuggets.
Then, entering Game 7 of the Nuggets series, everything changed for Williams. He trusted the process, trusted his work, was patient, learned from his mistakes, and was able to be rewarded for that. In Game 7, he exploded with an efficient 24 points. Then, in the Western Conference Finals, he had two games of scoring over 20 points and two games that were just shy of 19. Notably, he had a 34-point outing in the biggest game of that series. Now in the Finals and the two biggest games for OKC, he scored 27 points, then followed it up with 40 points. He is showing signs of who the Thunder thought he could turn into at such a young and inexperienced age.
What This Means for OKC Moving Forward
What Williams has done in this playoff run, and he is still just 24 years old, should be a massive warning sign to the league. The Thunder are one win away from winning the NBA Finals, and all signs point to that becoming a reality, whether it happens in Game 6 or 7. This Thunder team has all the makings of being the next great dynasty in the NBA. You look at all the other ones, like the Bulls with Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen, or the Lakers with Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal, the Heat with LeBron James and Dwyane Wade, or the Warriors with Steph Curry and Klay Thompson.
All of these teams had one thing in common: an unstoppable duo that led to multiple championships or appearances. Shai is already the league’s MVP and easily a top-three player in the NBA if not the best. Then you add what Williams has shown he can bring to the table by being the second go-to scorer, and even on some nights out playing SGA. Both players are still young with plenty of chances for improvement. Chet Holmgren completes the Thunder’s incredible young big three. Overall, this Thunder team has all the makings of being a dynasty in the NBA and winning multiple championships.
The Last Word
What Williams has shown in just his third year in the NBA is pretty rare to see. Usually, it takes a couple of years for players to be able to meet the moment and help a team win the Finals like Williams has done. Whether or not the Thunder can win the title this year, or even win multiple rings, fans should appreciate what they are seeing from Williams. Ultimately, this is the best Thunder team of all time, and Williams has been a crucial part of their success.
Featured image: © Kyle Terada-Imagn Images
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