At a fork in the road — should Thunder risk Jalen Williams' health for Game 5?

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Chilling on the bench for the fourth quarter, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander kept things upbeat. As the NBC camera panned to him and the rest of the starters, the two-time MVP winner was all smiles as the 2026 Western Conference Finals was knotted up at two wins apiece.

The Oklahoma City Thunder fell in a 103-82 Game 4 loss to the San Antonio Spurs. It's the first time they've lost a Game 4 in the Gilgeous-Alexander era. The biggest takeaway from the belting? The reigning NBA champions badly need reinforcements. Was his surprisingly good mood amid a blowout loss a telltale sign that's going to happen?

We'll see. Of the two absences, Jalen Williams feels closer to returning than Ajay Mitchell. He wasn't immediately ruled out and went through pregame warmups these last two games. Could Jalen Williams suit up and be a last-minute hero for Game 5? And more appropriately, should he?

That's the franchise-altering decision the Thunder and Williams must congegreate through over the next two days. OKC regained homecourt advantage in what is now a best-of-three series with a ticket to the 2026 NBA Finals on the line.

At a fork in the road, should the Thunder risk Williams' health for a Game 5 win? Let's talk about the risk and reward under both options.

The Thunder badly need someone else to help Gilgeous-Alexander. You saw the limits of a Shai and Friends group against the Spurs. You can get away with that formula with most teams in the regular season and NBA playoffs, but the Western Conference Finals are a different beast. As most thought heading into this epic clash, you need all hands on deck to beat a fellow 60-win juggernaut.

If the Thunder miss both Williams and Mitchell the rest of the way, you can kiss your back-to-back ambition goodbye. And being six wins away from another Larry O'Brien trophy, there's zero guarantee you'll ever get back to this stage again. Considering how excruciatingly close OKC is to delivering a knockout punch to San Antonio, it might need to shed its traditionally conservative approach to injuries — even if it means risking Williams' long-term health.

On the flip side, though, is playing with fire with Williams' legs worth it? He's had four hamstring injuries in five months. He's only played in 33 regular-season games and two whole NBA playoff games. All that said, the risk of reinjuring feels incredibly high. And a fifth time could potentially be deadly and affect him beyond this postseason.

Playing him in Game 5 would be incredibly shortsighted. But that's the nature of the NBA playoffs. It puts teams in a bind where the next two days are more important than the next two years — especially at this juncture when only four teams are left standing.

It's a decision you have to really think about, but I think the Thunder kinda have to try it out with a depleted version of Williams. Because if not, you might as well be DOA the rest of the way. Game 4 was a reality check that you can't get by the Spurs with this short-handed crew. Williams' return — even if he's banged up — could shift the tides back to OKC's favor. That's how important the All-NBA talent is to its operation on both ends.

I fully understand the risks involved. But the Thunder are soooo close to another NBA championship. You've got to at least try this Hail Mary or risk being sent home just shy of another NBA Finals trip. If the doomsday scenario materializes, then so be it. Just not your year then. But it'd be a disservice to this group not to at least empty the tank.

This article originally appeared on OKC Thunder Wire: At a fork in the road — should Thunder risk Jalen Williams' health for Game 5?

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