3 Studs, 2 duds from Thunder victory over the Atlanta Hawks

The Oklahoma City Thunder closed out the 2024 NBA preseason with a solid 104-99 victory over the Atlanta Hawks. 

There were multiple storylines from this game, but the big one was Jalen Williams cutting his night short due to an ankle injury. This also comes off the back of the Isaiah Hartenstein injury, where the big man will be out for 5-6 weeks, so J-Dub's ailment is nothing less than shoddy timing. 

Fortunately, however, this did not slow down the Thunder at all as many players had great performances for the Loud City faithful. That said, as is the case with almost every outing, there were also some notable concerns from a couple of Thunder players in the matchup with the Hawks. 

Thunder studs and duds from preseason finale win over Hawks

Stud: Isaiah Joe

After a shaky start to the preseason, Isaiah Joe shut down any doubters with two solid performances, particularly in Thursday's finale against Atlanta. 

The sharpshooter would finish with 16 points and 4 rebounds while showing off his long-range presence, going an impressive 4-for-8 from distance. 

Isaiah Joe is an integral part of this Thunder team, oftentimes being a spark plug off the bench during the regular season.

His presence alone from behind the 3-point line can cause teams to change their whole defensive game plan, and that showed versus the Hawks.

During the second half, the 3-point specialist oftentimes drew defenders toward him, even without the ball. This would allow cutting lanes to become more readily available for his teammates, leading to quick and easy points. 

Defensively, there is still room for improvement but it is not like he is completely helpless out there.

Joe is not going to be a guy getting steals and blocks all the time, but he still plays sound and solid defense -- staying in front of his man, not constantly going for steals, and willing to take charges. 

If he can keep up this production level, OKC could see him start a few games this season. 

Dud: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's shooting

Even MVP frontrunners can have off nights. 

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is known to be a top scorer in the league, but he looked as though he took a backseat against Atlanta, finishing with 6 points and shooting the ball only four times. 

This was very disappointing as the superstar is the clear-cut, number-one scoring option for this team.

This is also a reason the game was so close the entire night. Against Denver, he finished with 19 points while shooting the ball 10 times in 19 minutes of action.

That is the production that fans need to see from the leader of this squad.

Overall, every other aspect of his game was solid. His court vision has clearly improved, as he made passes in the victory that he would never have attempted last season. Defensively, SGA was once again proving he is a top two-way guard in the league, finishing with 3 steals and a block. 

The bottom line is that if the Thunder want to win, Shai needs to take close to 25 shots a game. 

Stud: Ousmane Dieng

It is time to get back on the Dieng hype train. 

After a questionable start to the preseason, Ousmane Dieng left no doubts that he may be en route to a career campaign after his last two performances.

The stretch four would finish his last preseason game with 15 points, 8 rebounds, and 2 assists while also putting in work on the defensive end. 

With Hartenstein sidelined due to a hand injury, this was a game the Frenchman needed to shine in, and he outdid himself. He looked comfortable and confident while on the court, as the third-year baller commanded the offense, knocked down his shots, was an anchor in the paint on defense, and hustled the whole time.

In other words, he looked like a complete player. 

Dieng was also seen knocking down his three balls, going 2-for-5 from long distance.

On top of this, he converted at the line late in the game while the Hawks were trying to start a comeback, going 5-for-7 at the charity stripe.

All around, there seemed to be no holes in his offensive game. 

Defensively, he also looked like a reliable player, using his height and length to contest shots, forced misses, and even pressured his assignments into turnovers.

With practically no center depth to start the season, the Thunder needed Dieng to step up and rise to the occasion, and he did just that. 

Now the question is can he keep this up, or will he succumb to the pressure? 

Dud: Dillon Jones

To say Dillon Jones struggled during his preseason finale may be an understatement. 

Frankly, after a fantastic start to his NBA career during the club's debut against San Antonio, everything seemed to have gone downhill for the rookie. Thursday was once again another night where he just looked confused out there. 

Offensively he could not get his shot going, converting just two of his nine attempts. His lone two makes were threes, but finishing at the rim was not in his bag this game.

The one upside to this was he noticed he could not score, so instead went to the distribution route and fed his teammates. Jones is a great wing prospect and has fantastic vision, and he used this to his advantage, tallying up five assists. 

Defensively there needs to be some work done. The potential is there, but right now that's all it is -- potential.

Yes, he finished with 4 steals, but he also got burnt on several occasions by his defender. With his reach, the steals are to be expected, however, what is not to be expected is the fact that for such an athletic talent he keeps getting blown by. 

Dillon Jones is still fresh, and has not been fully acclimated to the NBA pace of play. As long as he keeps developing, and does not let his emotions control how he plays, he will end up being fine. 

Stud: Chet Holmgren 

Chet finally looks like he has found his footing again. 

After a questionable start due to his shooting, the big man put forth a great performance in Thursday's final preseason game, finishing with 15 points on 50 percent shooting.

The reigning rookie phenom was showing off his finishing skills all night, meeting many defenders at the rim and finishing through contact.

This also allowed Chet to get to the free throw line and generate some and-one opportunities, going a respectable 5-for-8 at the line. 

The only part of his offensive game that was questionable was the 3-ball. He would only shoot it two times but missed on both attempts.

It is upsetting, but there is no cause for concern. When a player of high caliber realizes what shot is working, they will go back to that shot, and that is exactly what the center seemingly did on the night. 

Defensively he is a spartan wall -- there is no point of entry against his defense.

Think you can attack at the rim? He will swallow the shot up and come away with a block. Try to get past him on the perimeter due to his size and, with his gigantic wingspan, will prevent even the best of players from finishing around the rim.

There are no holes to his defense, which makes him a vital player for this ball club. Now all he needs to do is stay healthy.