Three Takeaways From OKC Thunder's Final Preseason Game

The Thunder used their tried and true strengths to finish the preseason with a win.

Oct 17, 2024; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Isaiah Joe (11) drives down the court against Atlanta Hawks guard Vit Krejci (27) during the second half at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images / Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

Oklahoma City concluded their five-game preseason slate with a 104-99 victory over the shorthanded Atlanta Hawks.

Ajay Mitchell scored five clutch-time points, including an and-one jumper, and found Adam Flagler for a layup with 1:20 remaining in the fourth quarter to keep the Hawks at bay. Ousmane Dieng made four free throws in the game's final minute.

Five Thunder players scored double-digit points, headlined by Isaiah Joe, Chet Holmgren and Dieng. Dillon Jones grabbed a team-high 10 rebounds and dished out a team-high five assists in 26 minutes, although he also committed five turnovers.

Jalen Williams appeared to roll his ankle after making a first-half layup, sidelining him for the remainder of the game. This, paired with Isaiah Hartenstein's announced hand fracture, made Thursday an unfortunate injury day for the Thunder.

Sophomore guard Kobe Bufkin carried Atlanta's scoring load without Trae Young, Jalen Johnson and No. 1 pick Zaccharie Risacher, racking up 31 points on 26 shots. He drained seven of his 14 3-point attempts, establishing enormous volume while being the only Hawks player to make at least half of their shots from deep.

Let's dive into three takeaways from the Thunder's final preseason game.

Chet Holmgren can get downhill at will

Holmgren utilized his driving ability and interior touch to produce 15 points in 17 minutes. He started the game with two paint baskets on Cason Wallace assists, including an unblockable pull-up jumper inside the right elbow. The big man followed up his only interior miss of the night with an immediate putback layup.

After establishing his scoring touch, Holmgren repeatedly drove at Hawks defenders to draw free throws. He shot a team-high eight attempts at the line, with all eight coming after self-created looks. Free throws are the most efficient form of offense — Holmgren generated 1.25 points per possession despite missing three free throws against Atlanta.

Holmgren drove 6.5 times per game last season and made 57.8% of his field-goal attempts resulting from them. He drew a foul on 10.3% of those drives, a higher percentage than what Shai Gilgeous-Alexander received. Holmgren's increased driving willingness demonstrates his on-ball improvement and will lead to more efficient offense moving forward.

Isaiah Joe is back to his usual self

Oklahoma City's first two preseason games were not kind to Joe, as he made just two of 14 3-pointers and recorded a cumulative -35 plus/minus. His outside struggles stood out because the sharpshooter has drained 41.2% of his 747 triples since joining the Thunder.

This brief slump appears to be over. Joe went 4-for-8 from downtown last night, including a 31-foot bomb from an Ousmane Dieng pass early in the third quarter. He also made a fast-break layup and stepped into a smooth long two off a Holmgren screen. Joe led all Thunder scorers with 16 points after scoring 14 in the previous Denver game on an equivalent 4-for-8 performance from deep.

Three of Joe's four 3-point makes against Atlanta were open or wide-open, which could be attributed to preseason defense, but an important rotation player getting back into rhythm before the regular season begins is what matters most.

Rebounding remains an issue

The Thunder held the Hawks to 23-for-47 (48.9%) inside the arc and 16-for-54 (29.6%) from distance, reinforcing their sky-high defensive capabilities this season, but Atlanta hung around until the end of the game because they grabbed 17 offensive rebounds.

Six Hawks players grabbed an offensive board in the first half against the regular Oklahoma City rotation, meaning they took advantage against all matchups down low. Only Holmgren and Wallace generated an extra possession on the other end, resulting in a 10-2 differential in that opening half.

A massive consequence from Hartenstein's injury is his missed rebounding presence. The Thunder had one of the worst rebounding differentials in the league last season and now have to play without their significant frontcourt acquisition for at least five to six weeks.

The Thunder begin the regular season in Denver against the Nuggets next Thursday, Oct. 24 at 9 p.m. CST.

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