Storylines to Follow During Thunder's Preseason Opener Monday
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Oklahoma City kicks off the preseason this week, as the Thunder take on the Denver Nuggets on the road Monday night. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, however, will remain in Oklahoma City making sure his knee is fully head in hopes to play opening night of the regular season. Chet Holmgren, who was sidelined this summer for the entire season, will be missed Monday night as well.
Obviously, preseason games do not matter at all. The only point of the preseason, is simply so players can shake off the rust and get some live action before games ramp up. However, it may be a good indicator of Oklahoma City’s talent on the roster and potential rotations on the floor.
One of the most interesting things to follow will be Josh Giddey’s shot. It was a big topic of discussion this off-season, and will remain one until he improves from outside. Even if Giddey isn’t a knock down shooter this year, Oklahoma City fans will want to see him play, and shoot, with confidence no matter what. The preseason is a great place to experiment with different jump shots and dribble combos. Giddey will have his first chance to prove his progress Monday night.
Another interesting storyline is Oklahoma City’s bench rotation. With Gilgeous-Alexander sidelined, who starts? SGA will likely miss a regular season game or two, too, so it’s intriguing to see who would fill his spot right away. Assuming Tre Mann gets the start, could Jalen Williams be the first player off the bench for the Thunder? Yes, he’s a rookie, but from everything he’s shown to this point he looks ready to play. During the regular season, bringing both Mann and Williams off the bench will be a luxury.
Lastly, Oklahoma City’s gameplan without Gilgeous-Alexander could be extremely telling. Denver’s defense will likely tighten significantly, begging the Thunder to shoot from deep. There should be plenty of ball screens to start the offense, with Giddey as the primary initiator down the floor.
Whatever happens, it’s important not to overreact to the good or bad. There will be plays that blow fans away, and also plays where this young Thunder team will look, well, young. It’s all part of the process.
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