OKC Thunder Guard Ajay Mitchell Made Key Adjustment in Game 4

In the early stages of the first quarter, during Ajay Mitchell's second career playoff start in Phoenix on Monday, the second-year guard attacked downhill. As Mitchell entered the paint, Jalen Green gave chase, beat off the dribble, Devin Booker stared with his back to Chet Holmgren, and the Suns' rim protector Oso Ighodaro stepped in front of the rim, gearing up for the expected rim attempt from the former second-round pick. Mitchell, who just launched 20 shots in Saturday's Game 3, flashed a key adjustment that Phoenix wasn't ready for. Patience. Mitchell flipped a live dribble bounce pass to the left dunker spot as Isaiah Hartenstein gathered the ball and lofted a floater over Ighodaro before he could get back in position to contest.

This was a glimpse at what Monday's outing had in store for Oklahoma City and its Jalen Williams stand-in. Mitchell has been tasked with filling in for the team's No. 2 scoring option as Williams recovers from a Grade 1 Hamstring Strain.

During Game 3, Mitchell was fearless but needed to let the game slow down for himself to better replace the playmaking production of the Santa Clara product. In Game 4, he more than made the modification to his game as he continues to be a quick study in the NBA.

Mitchell finished with 22 points, four rebounds, six assists and went 43% from the floor, a jaw-dropping 4-for-6 from beyond the arc and a perfect 4-for-4 at the charity stripe while being a +27 in 34 minutes of action during the Thunder's 131-122 elimination game victory to sweep past the Phoenix Suns on Monday.

In this game, the 23-year-old put all of his best skills together. He attacked the rim to score in the painted area but also using it as a tool to bend the defense to set up his teammates. His first assist was a flash at how he and superstar Shai Gilgeous-Alexander benefit each other. Mitchell spun in the paint and whipped the ball out to Gilgeous-Alexander on the left wing who sliced through the paint himself for an easy rim finish. Mitchell later got into the middle of the lane before darting a pass to the corner for Alex Caruso to splash an open triple as all five Suns defenders had a foot in the paint.

When Mitchell was cast into the Williams role, many wondered what a partnership with Gilgeous-Alexander would look like. Of the second year guard's six assists, half of them went to the Thunder superstar in Game 4. This was in part due to the attention Mitchell held from the Suns defense thanks to his isolation buckets.

Sure, the second year guard got busy going downhill, but he was a force at all three levels. Perhaps the most interesting was his comfort as an off the dribble shooter sizing up Royce O'Neale in the fourth quarter at the top of the key before getting to his step back triple that drove the dagger into the Suns season.

This is a massive development for Oklahoma City. Not only can Mitchell fill in for the injured Williams, but the team can benefit from his growth during these high-leverage role games and impliment the lessons learned in future series.

It isn't as if once Williams returns, Mitchell's game will deminish. In fact, his ability to initate actions and get his teammates into comfortable looks only grows in importances with the tougher defenses Oklahoma City will face later in the playoffs. If the Thunder can get to a point with Mitchell being flanked by Gilgeous-Alexander, Williams and Chet Holmgren in the same lineups that becomes a nightmare to matchup against if the second year guard can play at this level.

So far so good for Mitchell's playoff minutes. His key adjustment of leaning on his playmaking to open up scoring chances for himself and others was felt in Game 4 against the Suns. Now, with days off to regroup and digest this first round series, he should be able to parlay this outing into a big second round series.

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