Jalen Williams and Aleksej Pokusevski Lead Thunder in Preseason Blowout

Eight Oklahoma City players scored in double figures in Sunday’s big win.

Oklahoma City looked near flawless in another exhibition match on Sunday, handling Maccabi Ra’anana 144-97.

The Thunder finished with eight players recording double-digit scoring numbers as it was a dominant all-around effort. As a team, Oklahoma City shot a red hot 47.7 percent. Obviously the competition hasn’t been up to the NBA level, but the Thunder missed quite a few open 3-pointers a season ago. The progression is certainly a positive sign.

Many different players received ball-handling work, which will benefit the Thunder greatly in the long run. Aleksej Pokusevski and Jalen Williams each recorded double-digit assists.

Check out the top performers from last night’s win:

Lu Dort

Dort’s start to the 2022-23 NBA season couldn’t have started much better. The competition wasn’t top notch, and he only played one half of basketball, but there was surprisingly no rust at all.

The defensive-minded guard picked up right where he left off a season ago, dropped 23 points and four triples in just 18 minutes. It was Dort’s first action of the preseason after suffering a concussion in training camp.

Aleksej Pokusevski

Pokusevski has had a very solid preseason to this point. He’s making smarter plays and taking care of the ball, while seemingly playing with added consistency. Sunday night was no different.

The point-forward actually initiated quite a bit of offense for Oklahoma City. Poku finished the contest with 15 points, 10 assists and six rebounds. The most impressive part, though, is that Pokusevski didn’t record a single turnover. He also shot 6-of-9 from the floor and 3-of-6 from 3-point range, further showcasing his offensive capabilities. This is been a big summer for Pokusevski and it’s starting to show.

Jalen Williams

Williams has impressed since the day he got to Oklahoma City. After an outstanding summer league, he hasn’t lost a step over the exhibition matchups. Williams received extended time handling the ball on Sunday and responded well.

The Santa Clara product added 15 points and 13 assists on the night. He was also a game-high plus-46 in Oklahoma City’s blowout win. Thunder veterans have dubbed Williams as a future star, and it’s becoming easy to see why.

Ousmane Dieng

Dieng has appeared far ahead of schedule during his short time in Oklahoma City. When drafted, Dieng definitely carried a “project” reputation, signifying that the Thunder would have to be incredibly patient with his development process. He netted 18 points, four rebounds and four assists on 8-of-12 shooting.

So far, the wing has been able to fit right in and looks to improving on the fly every game. Dieng has incredibly potential, but is already ahead of where he was supposed to be.

Eugene Omoruyi

Omoruyi had his best game in a Thunder uniform last night. He’s on a two-way contract with the Thunder and playing his hardest to earn a few extra minutes.

He exploded for a team-high 25 points and 12 rebounds, including four 3-pointers. Omoruyi brings a lot of heart and hustle to the floor, if he can start shooting with consistency from outside he might have more opportunities.

Next up, Oklahoma City has two remaining preseason games with a quick turnaround. The Thunder take on the Pistons in Detroit at 6 p.m. on Tuesday night.

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