OKC Thunder defeat New Zealand Breakers; Young players shine once again

With the third preseason game for the Oklahoma City Thunder finished, the team looks to capitalize on their 2-1 overall record with their most recent win coming against the New Zealand Breakers, 117-89.

Taking place in Tulsa in the Bok Center, the Thunder had a very short rotation heading into this game, with the vast majority of the starters and key rotation players sitting out for this preseason game. Despite the lack of depth, OKC handled business and even showed sparks of emerging young stars.

Three players totaled 20 points or more for the Thunder, with forward Adam Flagler leading the way with 25 points, three rebounds and one steal while shooting 50% from three. This was a huge moment for the former OKC Blue player, as Flagler originally went undrafted back in 2023 and was waived earlier that same season. Putting up such great numbers in a great team win is huge for building confidence and propelling one's game.

The other two Thunder players who caught fire were Dillon Jones and Ousmane Dieng , as they combined for 43 points, 23 rebounds and 14 assists.

As mentioned numerous times, preseason games do not mean too much at the end of the day. However, they do show players' potential and overall ability to compete, and the Thunder did not fall short in those categories.

If these young players are able to keep up their intensity and improve their games as the season progresses, they could develop into great pieces to help the current Thunder stars win games, as well as become key pieces for the franchise in the near future.

The next OKC preseason game takes place in Denver as the Thunder face the Nuggets on Tuesday, Oct. 15, at 8:00 PM CDT and on Bally Sports Oklahoma.

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