3 Key takeaways after Thunder bring the boom to San Antonio Spurs in preseason opener

Monday night, the Oklahoma City Thunder won their preseason opener against the San Antonio Spurs by a final score of 112-107.

The game saw both teams rest some of their more notable and star players -- OKC played without Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Luguentz Dort, while the Spurs sat Victor Wembanyama and newly acquired point guard Chris Paul.

Still, despite the lacking star power, there was much that can be taken away from the exhibition.

Overall it was a solid performance by the usual suspects.

Leading the charge on the night was Jalen Williams, who went on a tear in the first half of play before sitting the remainder of the game. He finished with 18 points, going 3-for-4 from behind the 3-point line.

His fellow budding co-star, Chet Holmgren only played the first quarter, as it seemed he got banged up on a play down in the paint, and coach Daigneault played it safe from then on out. However, in nine minutes of play, the big man finished with 10 points on a perfect 5-for-5 from the floor and tallied 2 blocks as well.

Of course, these showings were expected from these high-end ballers. Aside from them, there were several other noteworthy takeaways that may prove to be quite beneficial for the club during the regular season.

Key Thunder takeaways following preseason win over Spurs

Alex Caruso and Isaiah Hartenstein fit right in

One of the most surprising parts of the night was to see Isaiah Hartenstein and Alex Caruso not start this game. That said, this did not stop them from showing why the Thunder went after them in the offseason.

Right from the moment they stepped foot on the floor, it became evident what kind of impact they'll be bringing to this team in 2024-25. The defense drastically improved, and the offense finally seemed like they could get something going. 

Caruso has always been known as a defensive menace, but Monday he showcased that once again, as he forced turnovers left and right, jumped in the passing lanes, and, simply put, was an off-ball pest.

It seemed as though no one could score against Caruso all night long when he was in the game.

The most impactful part of his efforts on the less glamorous side of the ball is his help defense, There would be times when someone would get burnt, and he was immediately there to help out. Offensively he was quiet, only scoring 5 points, but he is helping get teammates open, which shows with his +20 box plus-minus. 

As for Hartenstein, he practically did everything on the night.

His stat line was 4 points, 7 assists, 8 rebounds, a steal, and a block while shooting 40 percent from the floor in just 17 minutes of play.

Hartenstein knows how to use his body on defense, as he realizes he is big and uses that size to cause forced and bad shots. Offensively, the Thunder may be able to use the pick-and-roll more efficiently with him on the floor.

Even though he only finished with 4 points, it created a ton of downhill drives for guys like Jalen Williams and Cason Wallace. Hartenstein missed his lone shot from long-range, but it's the fact he was willing to take it that counts. He didn't hesitate at all when he saw the opportunity.

If this is added to his game, you could see him averaging a double-double with ease. 

It may be time to give up on Ousmane Dieng

This has been a storyline for the Thunder since 2022 when Ousmane Dieng was drafted 11th overall. He has the potential and upside to be a great player in the league, but that has yet to be shown on a consistent basis.

Every time it seems Dieng takes a step forward, he takes two steps back. Despite earning a starting opportunity following the recent injury to Jaylin Williams, Monday was a night where he seemingly took three steps back. 

First, it took him too long to get comfortable on the floor. A third-year player should already be comfortable and get after it at the start of the game.

Secondly, he looks lost in the paint. Dieng is 6-foot-10, yet is getting destroyed down low offensively and defensively.

The only upside that can potentially be taken away is that he is an athletic freak. There was a time his assignment blew by him but he managed to recover for the chase-down block. If he can be consistent while on the court and show moments like that more often, there is no reason he should not get minutes.

Until then, however, he still has so much to prove. 

The rookies stole the show

Ajay Mitchell was the first Thunder rookie to take the floor, and he did not disappoint.

The guard ended up finishing with 19 points on 8-for-13 shooting, while also notching 2 assists and rebounds. Ajay was driving well the entire night and was able to finish through tough contact.

This not only shows he can attack the lane, but he has confidence in his ability to do so.

It is hard to teach confidence, so the fact Mitchell already has it is great for the team. The only downside to his game was defense. This is expected, though, since the NBA level of offense is completely different than college. 

Along with Mitchell, Dillon Jones also found himself playing lights out. The versatile forward was by far the MVP of the game, as he dropped 17 points and went 8-for-11 from the field while grabbing 5 rebounds and dishing out 3 assists.

Jones first came in when there was no center left on the court, so he technically filled that role.

He did manage well there, for having a 6-foot-6 body and weighing 240 pounds of muscle certainly helps. His wingspan is also massive which came in handy as well.

What stood out the most, however, was his mid-range jumper.

In college, he was not known for his shooting but, rather, his ability to drive the lane and buy buckets in the paint. If Dillon Jones can now add a 3-point shot into his arsenal, the Thunder may be forced to find minutes for him.