OKC Thunder Getting Playmaking Pop From Ajay Mitchell Welcomed Sign

With a 3-0 start, the Oklahoma City Thunder have picked up right where they left off as the best team in basketball. The reigning champions are hoping to buck the current trend of parity across the league, with the past six title winners failing to even make it out of the second round and the last repeat winner being the 2018 Golden State Warriors.

Oklahoma City is off to this hot start while battling adversity. After only playing 8.5% of their games a year ago with a healthy roster, that trend is continuing into this season. All-NBA swing man Jalen Williams has yet to debut as he recovers from offseason surgery while sharpshooter Isaiah Joe, veteran big man Kenrich Williams and prized rookie Nikola Topic have joined Williams in street clothes for the first three games. To add insult to injury defensive ace Alex Caruso hasn't played since the opener after entering concussion protocol following Oklahoma City's season opener. The Thunder have also played a game down Cason Wallace.

Yet here they sit, a perfect record in their title defense season just hours before putting this winning streak on the line against the Dallas Mavericks. The Thunder have largely been able to navigate this short handed start thanks to the progression from second year guard Ajay Mitchell.

Even as a rookie on a stacked roster a year ago, Mitchell found his way into Mark Daigneault's rotation from the onset of the season until his turf toe injury that held him out for the majority of his firsr year campaign.

So far for this Sophomore season, the UC Santa Barbara product is averaging 18.7 points, 4.3 assists, 4.0 rebounds and a steal per game. Mitchell is shooting 46% from the floor, 41% from deep and 100% at the charity stripe through the first three games of the season.

His playmaking leap is what is keeping this Thunder offense in a groove, averaging just 0.3 turnovers a night while setting up his teammates for success offensively as the Thunder have produced nearly a point per possession in the half court.

Mitchell turning in 2.3 points per possession in transition, 44% as a catch and shoot launcher and 61.9% at the rim so far this season to help him score at all three levels including a career night in Indiana, where the second year guard posted 26 points.

The development from the 23-year-old is not only lifting the Thunder to a 3-0 start, but encouraging for Oklahoma City's title defense case.