Alex Caruso Reacts to Jalen Williams Being Ruled Out for Game 7

The Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs are gearing up for what should be an epic Game 7 showdown on Saturday night in the Western Conference Finals.

For Oklahoma City, however, they’ll be without former All-Star guard Jalen Williams, who continues to battle a lingering hamstring injury that has sidelined him for multiple games during both the regular season and postseason.

Williams suited up for Game 5 but logged just 10 minutes off the bench and was clearly limited, finishing with one point while attempting only one shot.

Following Saturday morning’s shootaround, Thunder veteran Alex Caruso, who has stepped up in a major way throughout the series, addressed Williams’ absence.

"It sucks. Obviously, we're a better team when he’s playing," Caruso said. "I think the awards and accolades he has achieved in his young career so far kind of speak to that."

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Caruso has scored 15 or more points in four of the six games in this series, providing a significant boost offensively for the Oklahoma City Thunder.

With both Williams and Ajay Mitchell sidelined by injuries, Caruso, along with Jared McCain and Cason Wallace, will need to provide additional offensive production if Oklahoma City hopes to reach the NBA Finals for the second straight season, where the New York Knicks await the Western Conference champion.

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This story was originally published May 30, 2026 at 5:32 PM.