The Oklahoma City Thunder opened Las Vegas NBA Summer League with a 96-84 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers on Friday night, dropping to 0-4 overall in summer play.
Brooks Barnhizer gave OKC one of its most complete efforts of the night, finishing with 12 points and 10 rebounds for a double-double. The Northwestern product kept attacking even as the Thunder’s offense struggled to find much rhythm, and he went 3-for-7 from the floor without taking a shot from beyond the arc.
Barnhizer’s night wasn’t limited to the box score. He added two steals and a block while playing a physical, disruptive game on defense, though he also picked up five fouls. Known first for his defense, he has started to show more on the offensive end in Summer League, even if the perimeter shot still has to come along before he can really push for a rotation role.
First-round rookie Bennett Stirtz led Oklahoma City with 18 points on 7-for-14 shooting. The former Iowa guard had a mixed night, but he did land several difficult shots against tighter defensive pressure. He hit three 3-pointers on eight attempts, with most of those looks coming off the dribble, and he was efficient in the mid-range as well, making four of his six 2-point tries.
Stirtz’s scoring was one of the clearer bright spots for the Thunder, even if his early NBA run has been uneven. Summer League has asked him to create off the dribble more than he likely will during the regular season, but it has also given him a useful test.
Payton Sandfort, another former Iowa Hawkeye, added 10 points and continued to make his case for a two-way roster spot, whether that ends up being with OKC or elsewhere. He knocked down two more 3-pointers after a strong showing in Salt Lake City, reinforcing the shooting that has stood out in these games.
Christoph Tilly also turned in a solid debut in Las Vegas. The former Ohio State big man scored 10 points and pulled down seven rebounds, coming close to a double-double in his first game there. Tilly, who spent the past season at Ohio State after a three-year run at Santa Clara, brings physicality inside and some outside shooting potential, making him an interesting option for the OKC Blue or another team with an open two-way spot.
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