The Thunder have played in two preseason games, going 1-1. They won their first game 112-107 against the Spurs, then lost an overtime thriller 122-113 against the Rockets. The Thunder will have three more preseason games left before their season opener on October 24th against the Denver Nuggets. Even though the Thunder have only played in two games so far, there have been multiple things to take away from them. Today, we will look at key takeaways from two games.
Thunder Preseason: What the First 2 Games Mean for the Regular Season
SGA’s New Shooting Form
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has gone from a star to a superstar in the last two seasons. He is widely considered a top-five player in the NBA and doesn’t have a real weakness in his game. However, one thing that he can improve a little is his three-point shooting. Last year, he shot 35.3% from three on 3.5 attempts per game, which isn’t bad but also not great. In his preseason debut against the Rockets, it seems like Shai has worked on becoming a more consistent shooter with a new shooting form. He shot two pull-up threes against the Rockets and made both of them. Shai’s new shooting form looks a lot more fluid and comfortable and is a faster release. The Thunder are hopeful with his new shooting form, he can get back to his 2020 season when he shot 41.8% from three.
SGA is off to a hot start 🔥#NBAPreseason action on NBA TV! pic.twitter.com/2RTGIfXhjQ
— NBA TV (@NBATV) October 10, 2024
Jalen Williams’ Three-Point Volume
Jalen Williams is entering his third year in the NBA and looking to build off his impressive year two campaign. Last year, Jalen made a huge leap by increasing his points per game from 14.1 to 19.1. In addition, he was super efficient, shooting 54% from the field and 42.7% from three. However, even though he shot 42.7% from three, his volume wasn’t high, as he only shot 3.4 attempts per game. Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault noticed this and has encouraged him to increase his three-point volume. Jalen has gone six for ten from the three-point line through two preseason games. It seems like Jalen is taking his coach’s advice and is adding more volume to his three-point shooting. This is even more encouraging, considering Williams only played 16 and 17 minutes in these two regular season games with more minutes in the regular season, his volume will only increase. If he can shoot threes at a higher volume while maintaining his efficiency, Jalen could be well on his way to being a first-time All-Star this season.
Mark Daigneault said he wanted to see Jalen Williams shoot more 3s this season.
He averaged 3.4 3 point attempts per game last year.
JDub shot 4 3s in the first half on Monday night. He shot 6 3s in the first half tonight.
— Brandon Rahbar (@BrandonRahbar) October 10, 2024
Hartenstein and Caruso Have Fit in Seamlessly
When the Thunder signed Isaiah Hartenstein to the three-year $87 million deal, there were a bunch of question marks. Did the Thunder overpay for him? How will he fit the five-out system with the Thunder? How will he be able to fit playing alongside Chet Holmgren? In the Thunder’s two preseason games, he has answered these questions with positive results. He has fit into this Thunder system seamlessly and has been everything the Thunder have hoped for. He has averaged 5.0 points, 8.5 rebounds, and 5.0 assists in 16 minutes of action. Also, the minutes he has played with Chet have been impressive, as both players complement each other very well.
Thunder have 2 Top 10 NBA rim protectors on the court at the same time in this clip.
iHart blocks Cam Whitmore’s dunk attempt..
..and then Chet Holmgren successfully challenges Whitmore’s follow up 3 attempt.
Lots of defensive diversity for OKC.pic.twitter.com/l76XLm95kX
— Brandon Rahbar (@BrandonRahbar) October 10, 2024
Alex Caruso, like Hartenstein, has fit with the Thunder seamlessly. Caruso’s play style would make him a fit on any team, but even more so on the Thunder. How Caruso plays on both ends of the floor is similar to how the Thunder like to play. In these two preseason games, his defense has been the standout and was even more evident against the Rockets playing alongside Lu Dort. Caruso will likely be the one to replace Josh Giddey in the starting lineup. Caruso and Dort’s defensive dynamic will cause major problems for other teams. On the offensive end, he fits perfectly with his shooting and his ability to cut and make the right play.
Back to back games with an iHart to Caruso connection.
It’s early but OKC’s two big offseason additions are fitting in seamlessly so far.
— Brandon Rahbar (@BrandonRahbar) October 10, 2024
Holmgren Showing More Aggression for the Thunder in the Preseason
Chet Holmgren had an impressive rookie season last year and finished runner-up for rookie of the year. Even though he had an impressive rookie season, there were still plenty of areas to improve. One of those areas was becoming more aggressive and making quicker decisions. Last year, during his rookie season, it seemed like he was looking to make a pass for a better shot way more than looking for his own. That has not been the case this year during the Thunder preseason games. He is looking for his shot more and being more aggressive and decisive with his decisions. This is exactly the version the Thunder had hoped to see from him in year two, and they are hopeful it can translate to the regular season.
Mark Daigneault on Chet Holmgren:
“His work is showing up. He looks stronger..
He’s definitely better.”
— Brandon Rahbar (@BrandonRahbar) October 10, 2024
Cason Wallace Becoming More of a Playmaker/Driver
Another standout rookie for the Thunder last year was Cason Wallace. He quickly became one of the team’s best perimeter defenders and shooters, shooting 41.9% from three. However, that is all he was last year, as he wasn’t much of a playmaker or driver. This was something the Thunder hoped to see improvements in going into this year. In the first two games, he has shown significant improvements in those areas, but there is still more room to grow. He made a lot of great passes, including a great lob to Isaiah Hartenstein against the Rockets. Additionally, the added weight he has put on this offseason has made it easier for him to drive and finish through contact.
Cason Wallace ✈️✈️ Isaiah Hartenstein
PQP 🔥🔥🔥🔥pic.twitter.com/6uQ77fbjS7
— Oklahoma City Brasil 🇧🇷 (@oklahoma_br) October 10, 2024
A Pair of Thunder Rookies Have Impressed in the Preseason
Finally, the last takeaway from the Thunder preseason games so far has been the rookies. Dillon Jones had an impressive preseason debut with 17 points. He was making all the right plays and was not playing like a rookie. However, in the second preseason game, he struggled a little more, especially with fouls. He still showed flashes of making the right play and looking comfortable on the floor, like in the first game. If Jones can continue to play like this, with the injuries to Kenrich Williams and Jaylin Williams, it will be hard for the Thunder not to find minutes for him.
Ajay Mitchell, just like Jones, has been impressive during the preseason. Mitchell had an impressive debut as well, scoring 19 points, and was the team’s leader in scoring. However, he did struggle a bit in the second game, but not nearly as much as Jones did. He was still able to score eight points and was able to build off the last game. Mitchell looked very comfortable in his first two games and wasn’t making too many mistakes you typically see from a rookie. He is on a two-way contract as of now, but if he continues to play this well, he could very well be elevated to a standard contract with the Thunder having an open roster spot. Considering their quality play, these rookies could sneak into OKC’s regular season rotation.
