Injury Update: Jalen Williams sidelined indefinitely with right hamstring strain; Garland to miss at least 7-10 days due to toe sprain

On January 19 Beijing time, the NBA provided injury updates: Thunder’s Jalen Williams has a right hamstring strain and remains out indefinitely. Cavaliers’ Garland was confirmed to have a grade 1 sprain in his big toe, expected to miss no less than 7-10 days. Previously, the Clippers announced Leonard’s left knee contusion and subsequent inflammation, leading to his departure back to Los Angeles, where he will miss at least two away matches.

Jalen Williams suffers right hamstring strain

Jalen Williams has been diagnosed with a right hamstring strain and will miss tomorrow’s away game against the Cavaliers. According to U.S. media reports, Williams is currently on an indefinite hiatus. The Thunder typically do not provide specific recovery timelines for injured players, so it is likely that Williams will be out for several weeks.

He injured his leg during the Thunder’s loss to the Heat. At the time, the team listed his reason for leaving the game as right thigh soreness, but video footage shows the injury occurred midway through the second quarter, with Williams clearly clutching his hamstring area.

After the injury, he was able to limp off the court on his own, but he leaned forward in pain the entire time, grimacing and tightly holding the back of his right thigh with every step.

Previously, Williams missed the first 19 games of the 2025-26 season due to two surgeries on his right wrist. So far this season, he has appeared in 24 games, averaging 29.6 minutes per game, contributing 16.8 points, 5.6 assists, 4.8 rebounds, and 1.3 steals, with shooting percentages of 47.0% from the field, 30.0% from three, and 83.3% from the free-throw line.

In the 2024-25 season, Williams had a breakout year, earning his first All-Star selection, making the All-NBA Third Team and the All-Defensive Second Team, and playing a key role in the Thunder’s 2025 NBA championship. Team insiders note that if Williams continues to miss time due to his leg injury, Holmgren will likely take on a larger scoring role for the team.

Garland suffers grade 1 sprain of right big toe

The Cleveland Cavaliers officially announced that two-time All-Star Darius Garland has been diagnosed with a grade 1 sprain of his right big toe and will undergo a re-evaluation of his condition in 7 to 10 days.

Garland was injured during the third quarter of the away game against the Philadelphia 76ers. He underwent imaging tests at the Cleveland Medical Center, which confirmed the grade 1 sprain. The Cavaliers stated that Garland will receive targeted treatment and rehabilitation over the next week until his next check-up.

For 25-year-old Garland, this injury is a significant setback—he has already missed a long stretch this season due to a toe injury on the opposite foot. During the offseason, Garland underwent surgery on his left big toe and missed the first eight games of the 2025-26 season. In November, the injury recurred, causing him to miss five more games (eight total if including rest during back-to-back schedules).

Due to the lingering effects of his left foot injury, Garland’s start to the season was sluggish. In the first 12 games, he averaged 29.8 minutes, 15.4 points, and 6.4 assists per game, with shooting percentages of 36.3%, 29.5%, and 87.0%. However, over the past month, his performance has improved noticeably, averaging 30.9 minutes, 20.1 points, and 7.4 assists across 14 games, with shooting splits rising to 52.2%, 41.9%, and 84.8%.

Garland is expected to miss at least four more games (he has already missed the second game against the 76ers). Players like Porter, Tyson, and Proctor on the Cavaliers roster will likely see increased playing time.