Top Performers: Chet Holmgren and Cason Wallace Shine Bright in Thunder’s Win Over Mavericks
The Oklahoma City Thunder burst on to the Las Vegas Summer League scene on Saturday night as they shot the lights out on their way to a hard-fought victory over the Dallas Mavericks, 91-80.
The Thunder were able to pour in a total of 12 3-pointers in the first half but failed to make much headway defensively against the Mavericks’ drive-heavy offense, resulting in just a six-point lead at halftime. From there, Jaden Hardy would try to put Dallas back on top, but to no avail, as the Thunder would hold on to win behind the stellar play of their rookies.
Here are the Thunder’s top performers:
Chet Holmgren
After sitting out game three in Salt Lake City, Holmgren shined brightly in his return to action in the Thunder’s first game of the Las Vegas Summer League, recording 16 points on 5-of-10 shooting, 10 rebounds, three assists, two steals, and a block in 30 minutes.
Though he looked out of breath at times and admitted he was still trying to get his shot back in a post-game interview, Holmgren looked notably more comfortable moving around the court. That was made apparent when he sprinted the full length of the court to erase a fast-break layup attempt.
His mere presence around the rim deterred shots and his long arms denied seemingly opportune passes. Offensively, he showcased that he was a threat to stop and pop for a 3-pointer, pump-fake and drive hard to the rim, or fly in for a put-back attempt, earning the Mavericks’ defensive attention and opening the floor up for his teammates.
Cason Wallace
In his first game in a Thunder jersey, Wallace displayed a level of poise, confidence, and readiness not often seen from a 19-year-old guard. Whoever he was defending, Wallace was ready to thwart a drive. If Wallace found himself open for a 3-pointer, he was taking it and making it. No encouragement needed.
Playing in mostly an off-ball role, Wallace impressed with his ability to shoot the deep ball and his soundness on the defensive end. In fact, he drained six of his ten 3-pointers, including a half-court buzzer-beating heave, and five of them came in the first half.
Wallace finished his debut as the Thunder’s leading scorer, having poured in 20 points on 7-of-15 shooting in 27 minutes. He also notched three rebounds, two steals, and two assists while turning the ball over just twice.
Ousmane Dieng
While it’s clear that the sophomore forward still has a ways to go to live up to being the 11th pick in the 2022 NBA Draft, Dieng certainly helped himself in his fourth Summer League outing.
Like Holmgren, Dieng’s confidence seemed to be on the rise. Every time he found himself open on the perimeter, or needing to take a 3-pointer, he looked calmer and more focused. And more importantly, it looked like he belonged.
That resulted in Dieng knocking down three of his seven 3-pointers — including a beautiful step-back over AJ Lawson — en route to 13 points on 5-of-9 shooting to go along with five rebounds, three assists, and one steal to just two turnovers in 29 minutes.
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