Oklahoma City officially ruled Ajay Mitchell out for Tuesday night’s pivotal Game 5 against the San Antonio Spurs due to a calf strain, marking the second straight game he will miss in the Western Conference Finals.
The Thunder also announced that Jalen Williams remains questionable as he continues dealing with hamstring injury management.
According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, both players are currently being evaluated on a day-to-day basis, though Williams’ availability for Game 5 reportedly remains uncertain.
Spurs Took Full Advantage in Game 4
Without Mitchell and Williams available Sunday night, Oklahoma City struggled badly in a lopsided 103-82 loss at Frost Bank Center.
Led by Victor Wembanyama, the Spurs completely controlled the matchup on both ends of the floor.
Wembanyama finished with 33 points and eight rebounds while San Antonio’s defense suffocated the Thunder offense, limiting Oklahoma City to just six made three-pointers and only 33% shooting overall.
The win evened the series at 2-2 and shifted momentum firmly toward San Antonio heading into Game 5.
Thunder Depth Suddenly Being Tested
Mitchell’s absence is especially significant given how valuable he has been throughout Oklahoma City’s playoff run.
The guard finished fifth in Sixth Man of the Year voting this season and averaged 21.2 points along with 5.3 assists during the first two playoff rounds as the Thunder cruised to consecutive series sweeps.
Meanwhile, Williams has only appeared in four playoff games this postseason due to recurring injury issues. During the regular season, he averaged 17.1 points and 5.5 assists and remains one of Oklahoma City’s most important two-way players.
If Williams is unable to go again Tuesday night, the pressure on Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Thunder’s remaining rotation players will increase dramatically.
Spurs Suddenly One Win Away From Something Huge
For San Antonio, the opportunity is enormous.
If the Spurs can capitalize against a depleted Thunder roster in Game 5 at Paycom Center, they would move just one victory away from eliminating the defending champions and reaching the NBA Finals for the first time since 2014.
With momentum, confidence, and health increasingly swinging in San Antonio’s favor, Game 5 may end up deciding the entire series.
