Williams led the Thunder with 32 points, three rebounds, and five assists.
Oklahoma City Thunder forward Jalen Williams dropped his career’s first 30-point playoff performance in Game 3 of the conference semifinals series against the Denver Nuggets. However, his performance was marred by the Thunder’s 113-104 OT loss, pushing them behind 2-1 in the series. Following the defeat, Williams opened up on several aspects including his performance and the loss.
He said that as a team they know that it is not easy. What makes it more difficult is the fact that they are playing against a team like the Nuggets. The 24-year-old, who led the Thunder with 32 points, three rebounds, and five assists, went on to say that things are not always going to be bright and shiny.
Williams said in the post-game conference, “Just as a team, we know this is not easy. It’s the playoffs, bro. We’re playing against a team that’s very good. That’s won at a high rate.”
He added, “I think we’ve done a good job just understanding it’s going to test our conviction. Like not everything is all sunshine and rainbows, there’s going to be a lot of ups and downs through it. And it’s about how you win these days in between.”
Williams’ statement came as a response to the remarks made by Thunder’s head coach Mark Daigneault post their defeat. He had said that while losing is unfortunate, they are focusing more on improvement rather than winning.
Daigneualt said, “It’s obviously lousy to lose. But you can take a lot away, and we want to be a team that’s improving through the series. You can’t let the outcomes distract you from the process.”
J-Dub also addressed his performance that slowed down towards the end and he lost his rhythm. Williams didn’t take a shot from over a minute remaining in the fourth quarter to the final seconds of OT. Speaking about it, he said, “I have my opportunities. I’m never going to sit up here and complain about touches or something like that. I have the ball a lot, but yeah, we just have guys out there that can score and make big plays.”
Williams, making his playoffs debut, has a total of 16 30-point games, which includes 15 regular season games, and one playoff contest. In the 2024-25 regular season, he has had seven appearances where he scored 30 points or above. Talking about his stats, the 6’5” is averaging 21.6 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 4.3 assists per contest in 2024-25.
He has delivered consistent double-digit performances and has proved that he is a reliable name when it comes to scoring along with leading scorer, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. In the playoffs, Williams is averaging 18.1 points, displaying his ability to score under high-pressure and in the games with high stakes.
Apart from scoring, Williams has contributed significantly in rebounds as well as assists. With a playoffs average of over six rebounds and five assists, the youngster has shown why he is a dynamic player. Williams has proven himself as an all-rounder, and while this is just the beginning, his abilities highlight his true potential to be the next big thing in the franchise as well as the league.
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