OKC Thunder Offense Sputters in Summer League Loss to Miami

The Thunder could not build on their good start and had another rough loss.

Ajay Mitchell stands with Thunder general manager Sam Presti during an introductory press conference for the 2024 Thunder draft picks at Oklahoma Contemporary Arts Center in Oklahoma City, Saturday, June, 29, 2024. / SARAH PHIPPS/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY

The Thunder’s struggles in Summer League continued against the Heat with a rough offensive performance.

Oklahoma City lost to Miami 102-73 on Monday in its second Summer League contest in Vegas. While the Thunder looked poised to turn around their luck early, they could not recover from some big Heat runs.

The Thunder jumped out to an early lead after a rough beginning against the Toronto Raptors in their Vegas debut. Taking a two-point lead after the first quarter, the Thunder rode that momentum into the second quarter, but not for long.

Ajay Mitchell scored seven of the team’s first nine points. Mitchell, the Thunder’s second-round pick, has shined throughout Summer League in Utah and Vegas. On Monday, he finished with 21 points to lead the Thunder.

Things began falling apart for Oklahoma City in the second quarter. After opening up a 10-point lead, Oklahoma City allowed an 18-1 run to help Miami take an eight-point lead into halftime.

Adam Flagler got hot in the first half from beyond the arc, nailing four shots from 3-point range throughout the afternoon. Flagler and Mitchell helped the Thunder get back into the game early in the second half.

However, the Heat proved to be too much, using an 11-0 run later in the quarter to extend the lead to 15 and force a Thunder timeout. 

For Miami, second-year star Jaime Jaquez Jr. looked like the best player on the court. By halftime, he had 15 points on his way to 23. To help Miami put the game out of reach, Josh Christopher took over in the fourth quarter, finishing with 23 points.

Although it had a solid start, Oklahoma City’s offense looked rough throughout the game. Oklahoma City had multiple lengthy scoring droughts and shot only 27-of-76 from the floor and 7-of-33 from 3-point range.

The Thunder will continue their Summer League in Las Vegas on Wednesday with a matchup against the Phoenix Suns on Wednesday night.

---

Want to join the discussion? Like Inside the Thunder on Facebook and follow us on Twitter to stay up to date on all the latest Thunder news. You can also meet the team behind the coverage.