No. 2: Mike Muscala will be our sniper on standby, the man hits threes for breakfast
Mike Muscala looked exceptional in the opener, that could be putting it mildly. THE MAN DIDN’T MISS! Muscala shot a blistering 4 of 4 from 3-point land and didn’t miss a shot in 17 minutes. OKC fans love this guy, and for good reason.
He has all the attributes of a prototypical Thunder player. He is humble, he always mentions his love for the OKC fanbase, and he is extremely polished when talking to media members. Sam Presti has an affinity for any professional with these characteristics.
Last night ‘Moose’ looked like he was in midseason form, there was an eagerness to his game, it almost seemed like Mike was battling for a roster spot. His ability to open up the lane for Shai is going to be paramount for this young squad.
There were also times where the pick and roll between SGA and Muscala looked like Thunder fans were seeing flashbacks of a young Russell Westbrook dumping the ball off to a tattoo less Steven Adams.
The major difference between Mike and Adams is glaringly obvious. The way Mike can shoot the ball will provide more options for everyone as the paint will be “open for business” at all times. Look at ‘Moose’ drain this wide-open 3-pointer with ease:
Strong first quarter for Mike Muscala, 4 for 4 from behind the arc. #ThunderUp pic.twitter.com/ObnwAz4cfJ
— OKC THUNDER (@okcthunder) December 13, 2020
The fact that Muscala was a mere fourth option last year would undoubtedly fuel his competitive drive. He is indeed going to be Al Horford’s backup, and I would not be surprised if we saw both of them on the court in crunch time; OKC will frequently have shooters on the floor this year, and that is a welcomed surprise.