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Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, OKC Thunder defeated the Nuggets in the NBA preseason

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, OKC Thunder defeated the Nuggets in the NBA preseason

If you’re a Thunder fan, find the nearest mountain. Get in, take a breath, then scream what you really want after two exhibition appearances: Damn, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s outdoor sweater looks real.

The feeling started last week with two pull-up threes against the Houston Rockets, a different look than SGA often opted for last season. He hit the same shot again and again at the end of Sunday’s practice, a clear sign of emphasis.

The SGA legend continued on Tuesday with OKC’s 124-94 preseason win in Denver.

While Gilgeous-Alexander scored 19 points in 19 minutes, he shot six three-pointers and made three of them. All of them look different, all of them show his comfort. One came when he brought his dribble back behind the line. Another came in a tight window, with an inaccurate pass from Lu Dort in front of OKC’s bench.

If he keeps trying to get up and feels comfortable doing it, the hype will only get bigger. One of the league’s most dangerous and efficient scorers, potentially adding more range and a further shot to his game, is worth the hype.

More: NBA Shooting Guard Rankings for 2024-25: Devin Booker or Anthony Edwards at No. 1?

Ballhawks

Wipe your glasses clean. These are the Oklahoma City Thunder, not the Steelers of Mike Tomlin and Troy Polamalu, who have brutalized teams for years.

However, it is sometimes difficult to tell the difference with this device. There is as much physicality as a game without pads and helmets allows. Hands and feet fly everywhere like a game of Twister. Pick sixes abound. Isaiah Hartenstein’s body looks like Polamalu’s, only without the head and shoulder hair as padding.

The Thunder finished Tuesday night with 15 steals and forced a total of 22 turnovers; Sophomore Cason Wallace had five steals.

Wallace, with Alex Caruso as his shadow, appears to be facing a mutation. The Thunder’s lineup at the start of the second half featured a three-man unit of Caruso, Wallace and Dort – the human equivalent of drowning.

Of course, coach Mark Daigneault isn’t asking the Thunder to force turnovers. But he encourages the aggression and scratching that leads to them, which apparently he didn’t need to expect from this version of the Thunder. Added to last year’s group was Caruso, who is a cornerback at heart who recognizes defensive possessions before they unfold. His voice even permeates the broadcast.

OKC was the king of distractions a year ago. This season, the lineups look like the NFL secondary.

More: A key area that Jalen Williams and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander are focusing on at OKC Thunder camp

Cason Wallace’s Growth

The Cason-Wallace experiment – ​​which is more about natural growth than experimentation – continues to bloom like a bush.

General manager Sam Presti has expressed interest in having Wallace more involved with the ball, and Daigneault’s interest was in allowing that process to flow naturally. Wallace nixed that plan on Tuesday.

Early on there was the hesitant dribbling – a real Hesi, a la Ronaldo Segu – unlike anything fans have seen from him. There were the dribbling drives, one of which ended with a scoop lay-in. And then there was the possession late Tuesday when Wallace tiptoed along the baseline and made what looked like a broken possession his own, frying Denver’s Jalen Pickett in the corner for an isolation 3.

Wallace finished the game with seven points, five steals and four rebounds, adding another step to his development.

“Year after year he’s doing a lot better,” Daigneault said. “Compared to this time last year, a completely different player. Which is expected from a young man, but still impressive. He’s gained weight, he’s stronger, and I think confidence comes from that and the work he’s done.”

Thunder vs Hawks

NBA PRE-SEASON: Thursday, 7 p.m. at Paycom Center (Bally Sports Oklahoma)