Kenrich Williams a Valuable Tool in Western Conference Finals

When Kenrich Williams checked in with just under two minutes to go in the first quarter of Game 1 against the Minnesota Timberwolves, it wasn't necessarily expected among the masses.

But upon second glance to many, it was a brilliant move.

Williams had only found 38 minutes of floor time across four games in this postseason, with virtually all of those minutes being insignificant, and had shot a lowly 0-for-8 from three in his two games against the Memphis Grizzlies and two games against the Denver Nuggets.

But from Williams, you are not looking for him to stack the box score, you're putting him on the floor for his intangibles. A relentless, intelligent player who does not back down on defense and sticks to his own devices on offense, Williams' two-way versatility landed him his most impactful minutes of tis postseason in Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals.

And before the game on Tuesday night, head coach Mark Daigneault had notified him of his expected play time hours ahead.

Logging 10 minutes in total, Williams was a pest and matched up well defensively against Julius Randle, hustling in about every play he was a part of. Ultimately, Kenny Hustle posted three rebounds and broke out of his outside shooting slump from the games prior, sinking two threes to help him tally eight points on the night.

On a night where Julius Randle had the Thunder defense at his fingertips in the first half, Williams did not shy away from that matchup—he embraced it, something that he takes a great amount of pride in.

"I tried to make it very, very tough for him," Williams said.

"I love those matchups. I embrace those. I love the challenge."

Williams doesn't have to express that for it to be noticeable—any Thunder fan could tell you that Williams leaves a lasting impact in games where the box score does not reflect that. There's no statistic telling you who produces the most effort and subsequent impact on a game solely based on that.

Williams will remain poised, prepared and hungry for the next matchup—and for good reason.