In the Oklahoma City Thunder’s recent 126-199 triumph over Dallas, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams emerged as pivotal figures, especially in the late stages of the game.

This dynamic duo collectively contributed 20 points in the fourth quarter, aiding the Thunder in staying competitive at the summit of the Western Conference leaderboard.

Gilgeous-Alexander has solidified his reputation as one of the premier talents in the NBA over the past few seasons.

On the other hand, Williams, the Santa Clara sophomore, has pleasantly surprised many with his performances.

In the upcoming matchup against the Memphis Grizzlies, Williams looks to continue his upward trajectory.

“When you grow up watching basketball, that’s what you see,” Williams said of the plays he and Gilgeous-Alexander made against the Mavericks. “You watch the biggest stars make those plays.”

“That’s the position every player wants to be in. I think for me, it’s just more exciting to be able to be in those positions. Those are moments we all live for.”

Williams anticipates a better outcome in Saturday’s clash with the Grizzlies compared to their previous encounter.

During Oklahoma City’s 124-93 win over the Grizzlies, Williams suffered an ankle injury twice, limiting his playing time to a mere 10 minutes before exiting the game for good following a mishap with a courtside cameraman after a layup.

Despite his expanding role, Williams’ vigor continues to escalate.

“It comes from how hard he plays,” Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said. “It’s really that simple. It’s interesting to see guys that can get a lot of minutes, that can bite into your effort and energy over the course of a long season. And when you get the ball more, that can bite into your effort and your energy. That’s human nature.”

“As he’s earned having the ball more, his energy, his defense, his effort, his intensity — none of that stuff has dropped off.”

Currently boasting a 46-20 record, Oklahoma City heads into Saturday’s game riding a wave of success, winning 11 of their last 14 encounters. Meanwhile, the Grizzlies are looking to recover from a recent 110-98 defeat against Charlotte, having lost three of their past four games.

The injury-plagued Grizzlies (23-44) could receive a boost soon with the potential return of Desmond Bane, the shooting guard sidelined due to a left ankle sprain since January 12.

Despite Bane’s absence, rookie GG Jackson has showcased his skills by averaging 13.8 points and a 43.5 percent shooting accuracy over the past 29 games, stepping up in the absence of key players.

Jackson is looking forward to Bane’s return.

“Getting to play on the floor with him, it should be fun,” Jackson said. “The best players will have to guard him, so I’ll be able to catch some other defenders slacking off a back cut or something like that. It should be good.”

While Thunder’s dominance is apparent at home with a 27-7 record, they must replicate this success on the road to solidify their position atop the Western Conference standings. With the upcoming schedule featuring nine out of 12 games away from home, Saturday’s game marks the commencement of this challenging stretch.

The impending match concludes the three-game series between the Thunder and the Grizzlies, with the Thunder having clinched victory in the previous encounters with an average winning margin of 20 points.