The Phoenix Suns and Oklahoma City Thunder have moved their series to The Valley, and it is now or never for the home side.
Down 0-2 already and with the referees clearly not on their side, they need to find an improbable victory in Game 3 to stay in the postseason.
Royce O'Neale doesn't care that Jalen Williams won't play in Game 3
The Suns have received a timely boost ahead of the clash, with Jalen Williams ruled out for the Thunder with a hamstring issue. Not that O'Neale is thinking about that.
Q: Does anything change with the Thunder w/o Jalen Williams?
— Duane Rankin (@DuaneRankin) April 24, 2026
A: "I don't know. Go ask them."
Royce O'Neale as Williams will miss Game 3 with left hamstring strain he suffered Game 2 Wednesday as he'll be re-evaluated on weekly basis.
Q: From your perspective, one less guy you… pic.twitter.com/V9AxMqztqX
The above might look like O'Neale is being rude with the reporters, but we all know he has been anything but while in Phoenix.
The "go ask them" response on several occasions to the news that Williams won't play is the kind of battle cry owner Mat Ishbia might just have started on social media.
Right now it is the Suns against the world, so it shoudn't matter who can or cannot go for the Thunder once the game starts.
O'Neale and his teammates clearly believe that as long as they play the way they know they can, whoever they go up against is irrelevant.
That was certainly true earlier in the regular season when they were pulling out all kinds of improbable victories, but it has not been the case for some time.
The Suns have also struggled with injury issues of their own this series, with Grayson Allen and Mark Williams yet to play. Jordan Goodwin was inactive for Game 2.
So Williams sitting one out does go some way to evening the playing field, although the Thunder's roster depth remains the envy of the league.
There are going to be changes in Phoenix this offseason as well, so this could be the last time that O'Neale appears in the playoffs for the franchise.
He will be remembered fondly if that is to be the case, and if anything he has been the quietly consistent veteran who can do multiple things for this group that they have relied heavily upon this season.
If he can somehow spark the Suns to an unlikely Game 3 victory to turn this into a series (even for a couple of days), then O'Neale will reach a new level with these fans.
Which only proves his point further. What does it mean that Williams won't be playing in Game 3? "Go ask them".
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