The Thunder’s two-way rookie is starting to get his bearings.
The Oklahoma City Thunder had their third preseason game of the year Monday night against the Atlanta Hawks, and it was another unfortunate result. OKC lost 113-110, battling with the Hawks for the whole game. Oklahoma City only had a shell of its roster tonight, as most of its key players didn’t travel with the team, but the young bucks did their best in this bout.
Aday Mara and Bennett Stirtz once again did all they could, as Mara had a double-double with 17 points and 10 rebounds, and Stirtz led the team in scoring with 26 points. While these two rookies once again showcased that they have what it takes to help out the team, another rookie showed he can help when called upon.
Two-way player Otega Oweh had his best game so far in the regular season and was a reason OKC stuck around in the game. Oweh had a double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds, with four of those rebounds being on the offensive glass.
However, where Oweh really shone was on the defensive side of the ball. The Kentucky product had two steals and one block on the night, being a problem for whoever his matchup was throughout the night. Oweh will continue to get more chances throughout the season if he keeps this up, as this is exactly the brand of basketball that OKC wants him to play.
Even though there are so many positives from Oweh’s game, the young guard still has things to work on. Oweh shot 38.5% from the field and missed all three shots he took from three-point range. While this could have just been an off shooting performance from him, if the Thunder are going to depend on him to play as the season goes on, he can’t have shooting performances like that.
Oweh’s three-point shot has never been amazing, as he only shot 33.3% from deep his senior season in college. Hopefully, this season OKC will see true growth in his shot from beyond the arc, and his offensive game will start to match the level of his defensive game.
Oweh is showcasing that he has more than enough ability to compete when he is called upon, and if the young guard is able to elevate his shooting as the season goes on, he could be a force for OKC in the future.
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