The Boston Celtics host the Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder Wednesday night time in what has the potential to be an NBA Finals preview. Boston is the defending champion, and OKC has — far and away — been the most effective staff within the Western Convention this season. On paper, Wednesday’s recreation ought to be among the best video games of the common season, and whereas it very nicely might attain that degree, it additionally has the potential of being considerably of a watered down matchup given the blokes who may very well be lacking on either side.
The Celtics may very well be with out Kristaps Porzingis for the sixth consecutive recreation as a consequence of what he revealed is a viral sickness. Porzingis is listed as questionable for the sport, and was seen at shootaround, but it surely sounds as if he could also be a game-time resolution.
Porzingis’ standing is up within the air, however the Thunder will for positive be with out All-Star guard Jalen Williams, who picked up a hip pressure in OKC’s loss to the Denver Nuggets on March 10. Thunder coach Mark Daigneault mentioned at shootaround Wednesday morning that Williams did not make the journey with the staff to Boston, and that there is no such thing as a present timeline for a return.
The “no timeline” side of Daigneault’s response does elevate some eyebrows, because it makes it sound as if Williams may very well be sidelined longer than only a recreation or two. If that is the case, it may very well be a giant blow for the Thunder.
Williams is averaging profession highs throughout the board, and earned his first All-Star look. He is confirmed to be the best secondary creator behind Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and is instrumental in retaining the Thunder afloat when SGA goes to the bench. With Williams sidelined, the Thunder not solely lose their second-leading scorer, but in addition considered one of their greatest perimeter defenders. If Luguentz Dort is tasked with the hardest defensive project, Williams will get the second hardest, and whereas SGA is not any slouch on the defensive facet of the ball both along with his lengthy wingspan, OKC’s protection tremendously advantages from having all three of these guys on the market on the identical time.
In a matchup just like the one in opposition to the Celtics Wednesday night time, Williams would’ve been tasked with guarding both of Jayson Tatum or Jaylen Brown, whichever one Dort would not defend. And now with him out for the sport, Daigneault should look to another person to choose up a kind of two scoring giants. Cason Wallace may very well be the reply, although he offers up measurement to each Tatum and Brown, however is a pesky perimeter defender. And pretty much as good as Wallace is as a defender, it nonetheless leaves you with out one other 20+ scorer on the opposite finish of the ground.
Williams simply does a lot on each ends of the ground for OKC, that if he misses prolonged time, it should require another guys to step up as a result of there is not far more SGA can do to steer this staff. He is already main the league in scoring at 32.7 an evening, is locked in on the defensive finish and will get his teammates nice seems to be. Williams is a stress reliever for Gilgeous-Alexander and the Thunder as they know he can go get a bucket himself every time SGA is being hounded by defenders. With out his presence there, it should make issues a bit harder for the Thunder. Which is what occurred on Monday in opposition to the Nuggets who had been in a position to come away with a 140-127 win after Williams performed simply 14 minutes.
Within the quick time period, there should not be an excessive amount of concern about Williams lacking a while because the Thunder have all however formally locked up the highest seed within the West. But when he’s going to be out a number of weeks, which might bleed into the beginning of the playoffs, there ought to be some degree of concern for OKC. Even with all of the depth the Thunder possess, they do not have anybody who can simply substitute Williams’ manufacturing on either side of the ball.
We’ll have to attend and see for a extra official replace on Williams’ standing, as a result of if we’re speaking a pair weeks of missed time, it is going to be pushing it actual near the postseason. That is actually not an excellent place to be when a completely wholesome Thunder staff is supplied to win a championship this season.
