Jalen Williams downgraded to out, Jared McCain starts for Thunder in Game 5

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Jalen Williams was downgraded to out by Oklahoma City Thunder for Game 5 of the Western Conference finals on Tuesday night, after being listed as questionable throughout the day because of his ongoing issues with a strained left hamstring.

Ajay Mitchell, who typically starts in Williams' place, was ruled out earlier by the Thunder with a strained right soleus.

The Thunder opted to put Jared McCain in the starting lineup, alongside Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Chet Holmgren, Isaiah Hartenstein and Lugentz Dort.

McCain was making the first playoff start of his career. He averaged 8.8 points in 12 playoff games off the bench for the Thunder entering Tuesday.

Williams returned for Game 1 of the Spurs’ series, scoring 26 points in 37 minutes a week ago Monday night in Oklahoma City’s 122-115 double-overtime loss. He had four points in seven first-quarter minutes in Game 2, including an alley-oop dunk with 2:12 left in the period, and hasn't played since.

Williams has now missed 58 of the Thunder’s 95 games this season, including playoffs. Of those absences, 19 were for a right wrist issue and the other 39 were related to his hamstrings — the right one costing him 30 games during the regular season, the left one now costing him nine during the playoffs.

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