NBA Summer League: OKC Thunder lose nail biter to launch Vegas tourney

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DENVER, CO – JULY 6: Malik Monk #1 of the Charlotte Hornets reacts against the Oklahoma City Thunder during the 2018 Las Vegas Summer League on July 6, 2018 at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Bart Young/NBAE via Getty Images) /

OKC Thunder initial match of the NBA Summer League offered ample positives all except their nemesis ‘the turnover’ which ultimately cost them Game 1.

The OKC Thunder tipped off versus the deeper Charlotte Hornets NBA Summer League roster in Game 1 of the Vegas tourney. In the end one of their 20 turnovers led to a one point loss.

The OKC Thunder tipped off their assured 5-game NBA Summer League Vegas trip with a clash with the Charlotte Hornets.

170. Final. 87. 149. 88

The game did not disappoint those who stayed in on a summer evening to watch the festivities.

It was a fast paced contest, both teams got up and down the floor in a flash. The lead changes made the game even more interesting. Specifically with 15-lead changes, somewhere Brian Davis was sitting at home screaming “Now we ride the seesaw!”

Hornets second year talent Malik Monk put on a show from 3-point-land draining four 3-pointers in this afternoons contest. However, it was still a sloppy tilt for most of the 40-minute affair.

A ton of failed lob attempts for the Hornets, air balls on both sides, bad ball handling from the Thunder, and some game one jitters.

Game film highlights:

Terrance Ferguson had all eyes on him, and you could tell that the pressure got to him. All-in-all it was a very Thunder-y game. OKC switched everything defensively, at times that resulted in wide open looks, and at other times it was a fast break going the other way. The ball movement by the Thunder was a refreshing sight, sometimes the squad even made too many passes during the course of a possession.

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