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    • OKC Thunder defeats Hawks in preseason finale and loses Jalen Williams
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    OKC Thunder defeats Hawks in preseason finale and loses Jalen Williams

    Idris Bevan Posted on

    With the pain of Isaiah Hartenstein’s absence in the air, Thursday’s game only added to the bitterness.

    Midway through the second quarter of the Thunder’s 104-99 preseason finale win over the Atlanta Hawks, Jalen Williams landed on a different foot. Williams was visibly uncomfortable and limped to the locker room. Williams has seen the picture more times than he would have liked.

    Williams would not return as the Thunder ruled him out with a left ankle sprain. A few of the appearances Williams missed last season, some of the only blemishes on a surprisingly healthy Thunder season, were ankle sprains.

    After confirming Williams’ injury, coach Mark Daigneault said the team’s staff would “take a look in the morning.”

    He finished the night with 11 points on 5-for-6 shooting and three assists in 13 minutes.

    More: What does Isaiah Hartenstein’s injury mean for OKC Thunder’s frontcourt options?

    Chet Holmgren’s sustained rim pressure

    Chet Holmgren’s first appearance, which was all about shooting baskets inside the arc, seemed more like a preseason fad than a real trend. The next one raised his eyebrows further. But Thursday’s performance was serious.

    Holmgren, the edge runner, looks serious. Aaron Wiggins hinted at it during training camp, but Holmgren said it all without having to say anything: The 6-foot-10 sophomore came back a different player. One with eyes for the rim.

    In 16 minutes on Tuesday, Holmgren had 15 points and four rebounds. His eight free throw attempts in the first half were the fourth-most attempts he made last season. It is the second time he has reached this mark in his three pre-season appearances.

    Holmgren rarely attempted to act as a shooter, instead using his shooting power to get him to the rim. His pump fakes are quick, his dribbling drives are faster. As a cutter, his awareness seems to have increased. He gets hit when he rolls to the rim, something he couldn’t always say a season ago.

    “(Holmgren’s teammates) are doing a great job looking for him,” Daigneault said. “He’s 7-1 with great hands and great skills. When we throw the ball to him in those roles, it’s really impactful for our offense. … When we came back in the fall, I think the team did a great job. “The job is to just recognize when he’s in the action.

    He does everything he can to get to the edge. A wiry unit that has learned what he is capable of, the defense is trying everything not to hinder Holmgren.

    “I think the wisdom that you gain from playing 82 games and then being away from the season, letting that marinate over the summer and then coming back and knowing what to expect… (Cason Wallace and Holmgren) are clearly better. “This is pure textbook development.”

    More: NBA Shooting Guard Rankings for 2024-25: Devin Booker or Anthony Edwards at No. 1?

    Lineups without Isaiah Hartenstein

    The Thunder are still a week away from their season opener in Denver and just hours away from announcing that center Isaiah Hartenstein will be out for more than a month, but the early returns in second units without the German big man are interesting.

    After experimenting with lineups that featured Ousmane Dieng at center, Daigneault went a few minutes with Jalen Williams at center, a lineup that also featured Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Lu Dort, Cason Wallace and Alex Caruso.

    Soon after, Dieng was back at five.

    With both Jaylin Williams and Kenrich Williams being re-evaluated this week, Daigneault’s rotations will undoubtedly shift and vary.

    But as always, nothing is off the table.

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    Idris Bevan
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