Oklahoma City Thunder All-Star Jalen Williams details his mindset heading into the playoffs: "We'll ... \[+\] take it one series at a time and give all our effort into that one." (Photo by Alex Goodlett/Getty Images)
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The Oklahoma City Thunder will enter this year's playoffs with ridiculously high expectations.
The Thunder currently possess a 57-12 record (.824 winning percentage) and are 12 games ahead of the second-best team in the Western Conference. While the Thunder were the No. 1 seed last year, they did so with a 57-25 record (.695 winning percentage) and tied with the Denver Nuggets when it comes to record.
Oklahoma City became the first Western Conference team to clinch a playoff spot with their victory over the Philadelphia 76ers on Wednesday night. They're on pace for 68 victories this season.
While the Thunder were given a pass last season after losing early in the playoffs due to having a young team, that won't be the case this season. Oklahoma City now has a year under their belts and are [considered the favorites](https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.espn.com%2Fnba%2Ffutures&data=05%7C02%7Cdsiddiqi%40sbgtv.com%7Cde0c213ba75c4af6a5f808dd675be062%7C897dbc0dc02d43479a713e589c67f8aa%7C0%7C0%7C638780366485944686%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=83h9ZBc46hXxdSo%2Bgc%2BVOpjJTQhExrFPv1sXQOCrE7A%3D&reserved=0) to win the NBA Finals.
Despite the heightened expectations, All-Star forward Jalen Williams does not view this as a "championship or bust" season.
"I don’t really think of it that way," says Williams in a one-on-one interview. "I think last year, I think it's really easy to look at it that way. I think I always try and have a good hindsight in mind too because when I first got to the team, we were not even supposed to be good for four years. We weren't supposed to be in the spot we were at, or at least looking at the spot we were at until next year."
The Thunder have been without Williams due to a hip injury and were without Chet Holmgren for three months due to injury. Despite that, Oklahoma City has continued to win games due to their ridiculously stacked lineup. The Thunder have gone 4-0 without Williams recently, including wins over the Boston Celtics, Milwaukee Bucks and Detroit Pistons.
Meanwhile, the Thunder managed to remain atop of the Western Conference without Holmgren, going 34-8 without their star big man in the lineup.
Despite how well Oklahoma City has played this regular season, Williams isn't adding more pressure by saying the Thunder have to win a title this season.
"The fact that we're on this fast track has kind of allowed me like understand how life and basketball works," says Williams. "It's going be a lot of ups and downs and you can't control that. I think a lot of it is just taking each moment as it is and trying to get better that way. I feel like that's why we've gotten to the point that we're at. We'll take it one series at a time and give all our effort into that one."
Williams wants to hammer home the point of taking it "one series at a time" rather than looking too far ahead. Having that mindset is key if the Thunder are to advance deeper into the playoffs after being eliminated in the semifinals last season.
"Obviously when you keep adding to it like that, you end up playing in the championship and you end up winning the championship," says Williams. "That's kind of how we look at it. I think teams that fall apart or don't do as well look too far ahead and you kind of miscalculate certain things when you're in a certain series and that's how you lose."
### Jalen Williams Starring in Commercial With Thunder Teammates
With March Madness approaching, Williams is partnering with AT&T for a commercial with Thunder teammatees, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Holmgren. The commercial basically pokes fun at the trio for a lack of connecting as they were the same clothes to a big event. The ad is basically making fun of AT&T's slogan, "Connecting Changes Everything."
"I think everybody knows about the Chet commercial that aired last year," says Williams. "They did like little singing things. I thought it was cool that they felt inclined to add me to it and it was something I wanted to be a part of.
"Obviously March Madness is kind of a crazy time of year," Williams continues to say. "The NBA really doesn't have anything like it either. The fact that we all to some degree played in March is pretty dope. The fact that I was able to do that with them too is really cool."
This commercial represents the first one that the 23-year-old one has done — and it just so happens at a time when he's having his best season yet. Williams clinched his first All-Star bid this season after averaging a career0high 21.3 points per game, the second-highest mark on the team.
"Just kind of a surreal experience," says Williams. "Obviously playing back in school, you don't really imagine yourself being on a commercial, especially something this big. This is my first one. Definitely holds a really cool place in my heart. I was able to do it with my teammates and playoffs are coming, so we're excited to all play."
As far as who he picks to win the NCAA Men's Tournament, Williams is going with the Duke Blue Devils — assuming that Cooper Flagg is healthy after suffering an ankle injury in the ACC Tournament.
"I like the way Duke looks," says Williams. "It kind of depends if Cooper Flag is healthy enough to play, but I'm liking the way they look."