Deron Williams (abdomen) is hopeful to play in Thursday's Game 3 against the Thunder, Dwain Price of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports.

Williams (abdomen) is hopeful to play in Thursday's Game 3 against the Thunder, Dwain Price of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports.

Analysis:

Williams battled through a sports hernia to play 26 minutes in Monday's upset win over the Thunder, finishing with 13 points (5-9 FG, 3-5 3Pt) and five assists. "I felt good to start the game," Williams said. "It was still bothering me. First layup I shot, it was still bothering me. But as soon as I went out [of the game] and came back in, it was pretty bad. And then it got really bad after I made that last layup." Williams was held out of the final period by team trainers, despite attempting to plead his way back onto the floor. Now, with two days off before Game 3, Williams will rest in hopes of gutting it out in a similar fashion to Game 2. As of now though, his status is firmly up in the air. "Ask mother nature," coach Rick Carlisle said Monday when asked about Williams' chances of playing Game 3.