If you’re a Thunder fan, find the nearest mountain. Mount it, inhale, then scream what you really want to after a pair of exhibition appearances: Preseason be damned, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander ’s outside jumper looks real.
The feeling started with a pair of pull-up 3s against the Houston Rockets last week, a different look than SGA often opted for last season. He hoisted the same shot over and over at the end of Sunday’s practice, a clear point of emphasis.
The legend of SGA only continued Tuesday in OKC's 124-94 preseason win at Denver .
Gilgeous-Alexander, while scoring 19 points in 19 minutes, chucked six 3-pointers and made three of them. All different looks, all showing off his comfortability. One came when he snatched his dribble back behind the line. Another came in a tight window, with a less-than-accurate pass from Lu Dort in front of OKC’s bench.
As he continues to get up attempts and look comfortable doing so, the buzz will grow. One of the league’s most deadly, most efficient scorers potentially adding more range and another shot to his game is worthy of the hype.
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Ball hawks
Wipe your glasses clean. This is the Oklahoma City Thunder , not Mike Tomlin and Troy Polamalu’s Steelers that brutalized teams for years.
It’s hard to tell the difference at times, though, with this unit. There’s as much physicality as a game without pads and helmets will allow. Hands and feet are flying everywhere like a game of Twister. There are an abundance of pick sixes. Isaiah Hartenstein’s frame hits like Polamalu’s, only without the Head & Shoulders hair as cushion.
The Thunder finished Tuesday night with 15 steals, having forced 22 turnovers in total; sophomore Cason Wallace had five steals.
Wallace, with Alex Caruso as his shadow, seems bound for mutation. The Thunder’s lineup to start the second half featured a three-man unit of Caruso, Wallace and Dort — the human equivalent of drowning.
Of course, coach Mark Daigneault isn't demanding that the Thunder forces turnovers. But he encourages the aggression and clawing that lead to them, which he seemingly hasn't had to ask of from this iteration of the Thunder. Last year's group added Caruso, a cornerback at heart who sees defensive possessions before they unfold. His voice even permeates the broadcast.
OKC was the king of deflections a year ago. This season, its lineups look like an NFL secondary.
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Cason Wallace’s growth
The Cason Wallace experiment — which is more natural growth than experimentation — continues to bud like a shrub.
General manager Sam Presti has noted interest in Wallace being more involved on the ball, and Daigneault’s interest has been in that process unfolding naturally. Wallace shredded that plan Tuesday.
There was the hesitation dribble early on — a real hesi, a la Ronaldo Segu — unlike anything fans have seen from him. There were the dribble drives, one of which ended in a scoop lay-in. And then there was the possession toward the end of Tuesday, when Wallace tip-toed down the baseline, making what looked like a broken possession his own by frying Denver’s Jalen Pickett in the corner for an isolation 3.
Wallace finished with seven points, five steals, four rebounds, and added another notch to his development.
"Year over year, he's way better," Daigneault said. "From this time last year, completely different player. Which is expected of a young guy but still impressive. He's gained weight, he's stronger, and I think there's confidence that comes from that and the work he's put in."
Thunder vs. Hawks
NBA PRESEASON: 7 p.m. Thursday at Paycom Center (Bally Sports Oklahoma)
This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Thunder vs Nuggets: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, OKC roll in NBA preseason road finale
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