The Oklahoma City Thunder are sitting at 0-2 in preseason, but the numbers and the eye test are pointing in a much bigger direction than the record.
Against two teams that were essentially rolling out regular-season lineups, OKC’s exhibition group has been cooking on offense. The second game was the clearest sign yet. With Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams, Cason Wallace and Alex Caruso all on the floor in the first half, the Thunder’s attack looked almost impossible to slow down.
The biggest shift is one Thunder fans have been waiting to see: SGA moving without the ball.
There was already a hint of it during Team Canada’s play in this summer’s FIBA World Cup Qualifiers, and now it’s showing up again in a much more real way. Gilgeous-Alexander spent possessions setting screens, running through off-ball action and creating easier looks than he’s had in years.
He still looked like himself, of course - efficient, smooth, and in complete control - but the new wrinkle made the whole offense feel different. He went a perfect 7-for-7 from the field and scored 17 points in 17 minutes.
He also kept the passing game humming. His one-handed lob to rookie Aday Mara was the highlight, and his kickouts are looking even more dangerous with shooters like Jared McCain and Bennett Stirtz spotting up.
Mara, in particular, has changed the feel of the group. The Michigan rookie has not missed a shot this preseason, and he’s filling a bunch of important jobs at once. He’s pushing the pace, grabbing rebounds and immediately looking upcourt for the outlet, while also finding open teammates from the post.
That kind of support matters for this roster because last year’s Thunder offense was productive but not especially connected. They finished seventh in offensive rating, but 25th in assist percentage, with too much of the burden falling on SGA to simply create something out of nothing. Jalen Williams’ absence from the offense was a major reason for that.
Now, with Mara, Isaiah Hartenstein and Jaylin Williams all serving as big-man passers, the setup looks much more fluid. Add in a team that’s moving more in the half court, and the pieces start to fit in a way Oklahoma City has been chasing.
Jalen Williams has been right there in the middle of it, too. He looked sharp in transition, attacked the lane whenever he wanted, found open teammates and fit cleanly into the new structure.
By the end of the first half, the Thunder had piled up 25 assists, 82 points, a 60.8 field goal percentage and 12 made threes - all marks that stood as the best any team had produced in its most recent game.
And they did it without Chet Holmgren, Hartenstein and Jay Will on the floor.
One half of preseason basketball is still only one half, but Oklahoma City’s changes already look like they could pay off in a major way. The ball movement is better, the three-point looks are cleaner, and SGA is getting easier chances. If that keeps going, this offense has a real chance to power more wins than it has in years.
In Other News...
Luka Doncic Just Raised The Stakes For The Lakers Season
Luka Doncics first season with the Lakers ended with a frustrating detour, as a Grade 2 hamstring strain kept him out of the entire playoff run. Los Angeles still finished fourth in the Western Conference, but without Doncic on the floor, the defending champions sent the Lakers home before the real test of the spring ever had a chance to begin.
Now, with a new season approaching, Doncic has made it clear he wants to come back fully healthy and give the Lakers a real shot at contending. The injury and the way last season ended have only sharpened the stakes for him and for a roster that knows how different the picture looks when its best player is available. [Read more 🡒]
Thunder Opening Night Opponent Already Sounds Far From Ready
The Spurs are heading toward opening night with plenty of attention and even more pressure after last seasons run to the NBA Finals ended against the Knicks. With expectations again high in San Antonio, coach Mitch Johnson did not sound especially pleased with where his group stands in preseason, saying the team still has work to do before it can look like a club ready for the start of the new season against the Thunder.
Johnson pointed to the overall level of play as not yet matching what the Spurs will need when the games count, a reminder that preseason results can still matter when they reveal how much cleaning up is left. He also singled out the second preseason game as part of the concern, while noting the team has 10 days before opening night to sharpen things up before facing Oklahoma City. [Read more 🡒]
Thunder Frontcourt Depth Suddenly Feels Like A Real Storyline
Oklahoma City spent the past two drafts making a clear bet on its interior future, adding centers Thomas Sorber and Aday Mara to a frontcourt that already includes Chet Holmgren, Isaiah Hartenstein and Jaylin Williams. For a team that has had to manage big-man availability carefully in recent seasons, that kind of depth is the point, not a luxury. Sorbers development has been slowed after a torn ACL wiped out last season, but the Thunder still view him as part of the answer in the middle.
Mara has given the idea a more immediate edge in preseason, where his early play has suggested he could be ready to help sooner than many expected. If that carries into the regular season, it gives Oklahoma City another layer of size and flexibility, and perhaps turns what once looked like a long-term project into a more practical rotation conversation right away. The Thunder have built plenty of their identity on versatility, but this is one area where simply having more healthy options could matter as much as anything else. [Read more 🡒]