The Oklahoma City Thunder finally wrapped up a six game preseason slate on Friday playing host to the Denver Nuggets.
This game served as a dress rehearsal for the Oklahoma City Thunder are rising star Chet Holmgren made his preseason debut. The starting lineup was a first five that would be more than passable in the regular season. Holmgren was flanked by superstar Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, defensive ace Lu Dort, Alex Caruso and traditional starting big man Isaiah Hartenstein.
The double big lineup started with a bang as Isaiah Hartenstein threw a lob to Chet Holmgren who slammed it down for the game’s first bucket.
Holmgren stole the show tonight. The budding star was a force downhill getting to the rim and even earned himself a pair of free throws in this contest. He should’ve had an and-1 but a charge call wiped it off the board. Even without the bucket, the processing from Holmgren was high-level. The Gonzaga product was a zone-buster hitting a mid-range jumper at the nail while also showing his improved playmaking with three assists to his name. Along with those dimes, Holmgren tallied nine points, six rebounds, a steal and a block.
There was no sign of rust for the third year big man who moved with a striking difference to his fluidity last postseason. That makes sense, being nearly a calendar year removed from his devastating hip fracture. In just 19 minutes, Holmgren was partnered with another big on the floor at all times sharing the hardwood with both Hartenstein and Arkansas big man Jaylin Williams.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander ended his night with 12 points, four rebounds, five assists and a steal in a game in which his playmaking was his headline. He deferred to his teammates using his scoring gravity to open things up and keep the offense in a rythme. Despite both Gilgeous-Alexander and the team producing high-quality ball movement in this game to bend the Denver defense, the outside shots didn’t fall at a high enough clip for OKC. The Thunder shot just 8-for-27 from beyond the arc before intermission.
Brooks Barnhizer was tenacious on the defensive end, putting a bow on a near perfect preseason for the rookie. Sure, this rotation is a crowded one for the Bricktown ballers but given his motor, physicality, intensity, conective playmaking and defensive chops don’t be shocked in Daigneault finds minutes for the Northwestern product.
The Oklahoma City Thunder begin their 82 game regular season slate on Tuesday, as they play host to the Houston Rockets. This will be a historic day in Bricktown as the Thunder will dish out their championship rings and drop their title banner.
Ouismane Dieng put on a show in the final frame, to put up 17 points, including the game winning triple after getting the stop on the other end with a block. The Oklahoma City Thunder pull off a 94-91 win in the preseason finale.
Stay tuned to Thunder on SI for complete coverage of this season for the Oklahoma City Thunder as they attempt to defend their title.
