NBA Summer League 2022: Five takeaways from OKC Thunder's win vs. Golden State Warriors
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The stars of Summer League gradually start to sit as the schedule winds down.
For the Thunder, that meant no Chet Holmgren and no Josh Giddey on Friday night against the Warriors. Second-year guard Aaron Wiggins also rested, and Ousmane Dieng and Tre Mann were out with injuries.
The Thunder needed to beat the Warriors by at least 27 points Friday to land a spot against the Knicks in the Las Vegas Summer League championship game.
OKC came up short of that in its 90-82 win against Golden State, but the Thunder still improved to 3-1 in Las Vegas Summer League. The Thunder will play its final Summer League game on Sunday.
With Holmgren out, Jaylin Williams started at center for the Thunder. Jeremiah Robinson-Earl started at power forward.
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The Warriors, meanwhile, had a star-studded frontcourt by Summer League standards, with Jonathan Kuminga and James Wiseman.
Wiseman had 14 points on 4-of-6 shooting. He hauled in seven rebounds. Kuminga had 16 points, five assists, four rebounds … and seven fouls.
Robinson-Earl led the Thunder with a 15-point, 14-rebound double-double.
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Dieng, Mann out with injuries
Rookie forward Ousmane Dieng suffered a slight chip fracture in his right wrist, the Thunder announced before the game Friday.
Dieng will miss the Thunder’s final Summer League game, but he’s expected to be ready by the start of training camp.
Second-year guard Tre Mann (left ankle sprain) was also out Friday night. Mann suffered the injury Wednesday night in OKC’s win against Sacramento.
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Krejci catches eye
Vit Krejci dribbled into a step-back jumper and swished the shot.
“He can hoop,” CJ McCollum said on the ESPN broadcast. “I like his game.”
McCollum, the Pelicans guard and long-time Trail Blazer, offered plenty of insight as an analyst, and he seemed to like Krejci’s game.
Krejci had 10 points, seven rebounds and five assists. With the Thunder down a few guards, the ball was often in Krejci’s hands, which is where he’s most comfortable.
Krejci made eight starts in 30 games last season. He’s two years removed from being drafted, but nagging knee injuries have hampered his development.
It’s still too early to tell if he’ll stick around in the NBA.
Shackelford shines
Jaden Shackelford is with the Thunder in Summer League as a non-roster invitee. He got his first extended minutes Friday night against the Warriors, and he showed off a smooth jump shot.
Shackelford converted a four-point play just before halftime. He finished with 12 points on 3-of-8 3-point shooting.
Shackelford is a 6-foot-3 guard who played three seasons at Alabama. He was a two-time All-SEC selection.
Shackelford averaged 16.6 points per game last season with the Crimson Tide.
Thunder tip-ins
∎ Kuminga put Robinson-Earl on a poster in the third quarter. Kuminga is already one of the most electric dunkers in the NBA.
∎ Jaylin Williams was wired up by ESPN. Williams, who might be the all-time Summer League leader in charges taken, didn’t get the whistle Friday. “I’m done,” he could be heard saying after landing on the deck and not getting a call. He was smiling, though.
∎ Eugene Omoruyi is built like a tank. The Thunder two-way signee doesn’t have much of a perimeter game, but he’s a load inside. And he plays hard defensively.
∎ Jalen Williams headed to the locker room in the third quarter with an apparent ankle injury, but he returned later in the game.
∎Thunder wing Gabe Brown made three 3-pointers in the fourth quarter.
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This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: OKC Thunder beats Golden State Warriors in NBA Summer League
