The NBA playoffs are a whirlwind of uncertainty—two-plus months where you can't plan a thing from April through June. But for the Oklahoma City Thunder, the fog is finally clearing. After sweeping the Phoenix Suns in Monday's Game 4, they now know their next destination: a Round 2 showdown with the Los Angeles Lakers, starting Tuesday, May 5, in OKC.

How did they get there? The Thunder clinched their advancement with a commanding 98-78 Game 6 win over the Houston Rockets. But the real gift came from Friday's other playoff results. Because the Detroit Pistons and Toronto Raptors each forced a decisive Game 7 in their respective first-round series, the Thunder's second-round opener was pushed back from Sunday, May 3, to Tuesday, May 5. That's two extra days—and for OKC, those days are golden.

Why? Because they buy more recovery time for Jalen Williams. The rising star suffered a Grade 1 hamstring strain in the Thunder's Game 2 win over the Suns on April 22. By the time Game 1 against the Lakers tips off on May 5, a full 14 days will have passed since the injury. That's a solid window for a low-grade strain to heal.

We likely won't know Williams' official status until Monday's injury report, but the odds are in his favor. If not for the opener, then soon after. Compare that to Luka Doncic, who's still recovering from a more severe Grade 2 hamstring strain he suffered last month—and it sounds like he won't be ready.

In the NBA, you need as much luck as talent to win a championship. And while Williams' third hamstring strain in four months is certainly concerning, at least the schedule-makers gave him a couple of extra days to get right. For a Thunder team eyeing a deep run, that could make all the difference.