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    • Dillon Jones leads Thunder past New Zealand Breakers in NBA preseason
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    Dillon Jones leads Thunder past New Zealand Breakers in NBA preseason

    Idris Bevan Posted on

    TULSA – With the top eight players in the Thunder rotation sidelined for Thursday’s preseason game at the BOK Center and fellow rookie Ajay Mitchell also suffering from a sprained ankle, Dillon Jones only stepped up his game.

    He had already stood out in a few preseason games and was an integral part of the second half after coach Mark Daigneault saw everything he needed from his starters. His confidence, his shooting, his physique – which sent the 1.90 meter tall New Zealand Breakers center Freddie Gillespie flying on a screen attempt.

    In the Thunder’s 117-89 win over the Breakers on Thursday, Jones had a full game to show what he’s already learned.

    Jones finished the game with a team-high 23 points on 8-for-13 shooting, grabbed 13 boards, added four steals, a pair of blocks, sank a pair of 3s and earned multiple trips to the free throw line. And this is as expected; NBA bottom line hopefuls seem surprised by his sturdy body, not to mention a Breakers team that lost by 55 points to the Philadelphia 76ers earlier in the week.

    No player is as uniquely positioned within the Thunder’s positionless system as Jones. He defended center, he handled pick-and-rolls, he rebounded and ran offense. His rookie status in a Team Eye competition in particular will make this his reality. But perhaps his past made it easier for Daigneault, a study in what he would call “stress testing,” to test Jones’ limits.

    “This is not new territory,” Jones said. “It’s something I’ve done my entire career. “I competed in games in college and played point guard. Someone checks in, I’ll go to five. Someone checks in, I go to the three of them. The Thunder got this player.”

    A curious newcomer and a spirited person, Jones has expressed his expression intermittently and quietly. He constantly asked questions. About positioning, about covers, about spots on the floor. He balanced his strength and tried to be nimble. Now he’s trying to put it all together.

    “It’s about trying to play the game my way, where it’s beneficial to me,” Jones said. There will be faster players, sometimes faster players. But the only thing I have is physical strength, and that’s one thing I should be in charge of with a lot of people.”

    More: NBA point guard rankings for 2024-25: Where Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Luka Doncic rank

    Malevy Leons is aiming to be a fixture for the Blues

    If you blinked, you may have missed most of Malevy Leons’ throws. But if you had kept your eyes on the same spot the entire game, you might have caught everything.

    Leons’ 14-point night (7 of 8 from the field) was spent in the right place at the right time. Every time. Leon’s was always below the rim.

    On backdoor cuts, on dump-down passes, on fastbreaks across the floor, on pickpocketing in the half court. Leons kept finding landing strips and even without them he still managed a few two-handed dunks.

    “He’s a really unique player,” Daigneault said. “He is very effective and influences the game almost immediately.”

    His film will not seem particularly diverse to those who watch him put the ball in the basket. But those who rewind and analyze how he achieved the same no-lift, two-handed finish will see that he outplayed his teammates.

    Leons never held the ball for long. It hardly served as a hub. But when the ball found him, he made it happen. Mitchell might have one of his favorite targets before they even begin their Blues season.

    More: Takeaways from Thunder vs. Rockets: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander efficient in preseason debut

    Ousmane Dieng takes the reins

    The previous season’s prince received the throne. Ousmane Dieng did exactly what the Thunder royalty would have expected of him.

    The 21-year-old Dieng, OKC’s longest-tenured player as of Thursday, was given the reins in an environment most closely comparable to the G League. He looked every bit the player who made his mark on the Blues last season.

    Dieng finished the game with a near triple-double, adding 20 points, 10 boards and nine assists while making three of his seven 3-point attempts. He scored three-pointers off the dribble from the jump. That vibe is his, if viewers couldn’t tell from the way he sized up defenders with his grip and executed pick-and-rolls.

    This season presents an interesting challenge for Dieng, the most integrated Thunder player among the organization’s G Leaguers and perhaps the most advanced among those who have a chance to crack OKC’s current rotation. Dieng, now in his third season, likely faces a move to fit into the Thunder’s evolving plans.

    It would be out of character for Daigneault if, when asked about a single player, he didn’t mention five others. But he talked himself into showing Dieng some love.

    “Ous has really made a lot of progress,” Daigneault said. “He was the youngest player in the draft and has continued to make progress since his time here.”

    Dieng won’t do as much of what he did on Thursday. The on-ball creation, the grip. But the confidence that comes with those attitudes is a requirement – ​​both here and in the sprints for the Thunder.

    More: Takeaways from Thunder vs. Spurs: Alex Caruso and Isaiah Hartenstein shine in NBA preseason debut

    Thunder at Nuggets

    NBA PRE-SEASON: Tuesday, 8 p.m. at the Ball Center in Denver (Bally Sports Oklahoma)

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    Idris Bevan
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