The Oklahoma City Thunder are feeling the weight of a long season, and for the first time in three years, they've dropped back-to-back games at home. With injuries piling up, the reigning NBA champs are starting to show some cracks - and those cracks were exposed in narrow losses to the Indiana Pacers and Toronto Raptors, both decided by a single possession.
It’s not that OKC didn’t have their chances. In both games, they had opportunities late to pull out a win - the kind of clutch-time execution that’s defined their rise over the past few seasons.
But this time around, the shots didn’t fall, and the stops didn’t come. The result?
Two tough losses in front of the home crowd.
With key players sidelined, the Thunder have had to dig deeper into their bench, and that’s where Ousmane Dieng has stepped in. The 22-year-old forward, who has spent much of his NBA career buried in the depth chart, is finally getting meaningful minutes - and he’s making the most of them.
Dieng put up seven points and two rebounds against the Pacers, and while the box score doesn’t jump off the page, his impact went beyond the numbers. In the loss to Toronto, he posted a team-best +17 in his time on the floor, showing that he can contribute in ways that don’t always show up in the stat sheet.
What’s been most encouraging is the way Dieng has looked within the Thunder’s offense. He’s shown flashes of on-ball creation, moving with purpose and confidence, and he’s starting to understand how to play within the team’s flow. On the defensive end, his size and length have helped him hold his ground - a key asset for a team that prides itself on versatility and switchability.
Head coach Mark Daigneault has taken notice. While Dieng has struggled with consistency throughout his young career, Daigneault sees signs that the game is starting to slow down for him.
“He’s definitely made strides,” Daigneault said. “I think he’s improved his shooting.
I think his floor game has improved as he’s just getting more comfortable, as things have slowed down. Done a good job on his body.
He’s improved his motor over time.”
It’s a well-timed surge for Dieng, but the reality is, his future in Oklahoma City remains uncertain. With the trade deadline approaching and Dieng in the final year of his contract, the writing may already be on the wall. The Thunder didn’t offer him an extension this past offseason - a move that often signals a player is on borrowed time with the team.
It’s a tough break for a young player who never truly got a consistent opportunity in OKC. Injuries, long-term development plans, and the Thunder’s rapid rise into contention have all played a role in keeping Dieng on the outside looking in.
Still, this recent stretch could be exactly what he needs to earn another shot - whether that’s in Oklahoma City or somewhere else. He’s showing just enough to remind teams why he was a first-round pick.
The tools are there. The flashes are real.
Now it’s about putting together enough consistent tape to earn that second contract and prove he belongs in this league.
“He hasn’t cracked the rotation consistently,” Daigneault said, “but he’s still a guy that has grown in the program. He’s done a really good job attacking what we’ve put in front of him.”
For now, Dieng is making the most of a difficult situation - and in a league where opportunity can be everything, that might be enough to keep his NBA journey alive.