OKC Thunder: 3 key takeaways from first preseason win

OKC Thunder have found their starting center

As the founder of Isaiah Roby Island and the one who has claimed Jeremiah Robinson-Earl brings first-round talent to the Oklahoma City Thunder, I love the youth movement and am highly intrigued by the small-ball position-less style of basketball Mark Daigneault wants to play with the help of Thunder General Manager Sam Presti’s roster construction.

Though it is important not to jump the gun and tonight the 11-year veteran Derrick Favors showed why it is important to have an adult in the room.

Favors brings his amazing mid-range game, being almost automatic from the elbow which is highly beneficial for OKC Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander who has so much gravity when he drives to the rim while providing an elite kick out ability now tossing the ball to a player who can knock down open looks.

He also has a nice rebounding ability, while also the professionalism of making the correct read on both ends of the floor, being in the right spot, and simply having a steady heart rate when moments get big in games to settle down a young crop of players.

One of the biggest aspects of Favors’ game comes on the defensive end, and it will eventually strengthen their ability to play the desired small ball style. This sounds weird, right? How would this rim-protecting traditional big help the OKC Thunder play small?

When playing that small ball style without a true rim protector, you have no anchor, no safety net. Your perimeter rotations, switches, and defense have to be perfect as you are almost waving the white flag down low.

That puts so much pressure on these young wings who are still trying to figure out how to play defense in the NBA, and it could get discouraging to continue to be scored on or feel as though you have to be perfect with no help.

Derrick Favors being able to anchor the defense allows the perimeter defenders to play free, to make changes, see what works and doesn’t work while having help down low. Most importantly it helps them understand where they should be without the maximum penalty of always giving up an open look.

Favors is a much better communicator defensively, almost a coach on the floor, so he can help the youngsters in real-time, unlike their fellow young peers who are still learning how to play at this level themselves.

Given the safety net of Favors, the perimeter defenders will learn how to rotate, switch, fight against screens as seamlessly as possible so when they are put into a small-ball situation they have a better understanding of their assignments.