Big Kiwi shines as OKC Thunder post easy 110-84 victory over New Zealand Breakers

No Dre again:

Three players were healthy scratches with Danilo Gallinari drawing rest. Although Donovan indicated this was due in part to the heavy practice workload and Gallo’s years in the league logically this might also have something to do with the heavy summer workload Gallinari had playing with his native Italian team at the World Cup. Donovan also elected to give Justin Patton a look and give Nerlens Noel the night off.

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The player fans are most anxious to see on the hardwood who also was ruled out again was Andre Roberson. For the second straight contest (three if you count the Blue and White scrimmage) ARob wasn’t in the lineup.

The details this time were a little more specific from the bench boss who cited ‘a return to play management’. Sure sounds an awful lot like ‘load management’ or maybe Andre will have his own Kawhi-like term this season.  Hopefully, this is nothing more than the team exercising caution.

The build-up to his return is growing in intensity and I’m starting to wonder if the club is saving his first appearance for the regular season when the emotion of Roberson stepping on the Chesapeake court could help add to the adrenaline when the crowd erupts.

Only two matches remain in the preseason; one in Dallas next Monday and the final match back home Wednesday versus the Grizzlies. At this point, I wouldn’t put it past Donovan to play Roberson in Dallas and then sit him until the home opener on the 25th versus the Wizards.

The full ESPN box score can be viewed here.

Prior to the game on Monday the Thunder will likely get in some more practice as this next match versus the Mavericks is likely to feature the two young talents who sat this week.  Did you watch the game last night? What were your key takeaways from the match?