Thunder vs Heat recap: Ajay Mitchell shines, but OKC falls to 0-2 in NBA Summer League

Posted by Admin July 15, 2024 NBA

The Thunder fell to 0-2 in Las Vegas Summer League, falling to the Heat in a 102-73 loss Monday. Here are three takeaways:

Christopher’s show

The spirit of Nick Young lives on in the Summer League version of Josh Christopher.

The bravado, the matching shotmaking, the heat checks that challenge Las Vegas’ stroke-inducing strip.

The Miami wing lit the Thunder’s summer squad up for as quick of a lethal sequence as anyone has displayed this summer — a 20-point fourth quarter full of vicious dunks and gasp-worthy 3s en route to 23 points.

Moving 3 after moving 3, poster dunk after poster dunk. Christopher slammed OKC’s Kylor Kelley into another realm, the force sending the man down the baseline, where Christopher pointed at him.

The fourth-year guard left the gym eating out of his palm. Everyone but the Thunder got a kick out of it.

Through two games, the Thunder has been overwhelmed by opposing talent, with teams either playing their first-round picks or rotational players — in some cases even starters.

Toronto’s Gradey Dick filled the statsheet and owned the free throw line. Miami’s Jaime Jaquez owned his matchup Monday.

But it was Christopher, who spent time in the G League this past season, who stole the show. He owned the building.

Jones keeps shooting through strenuous Summer assignment

Dillon Jones kept shooting. And shooting.

And shot more.

He started Monday’s game shooting 1 for 7. His catch-and-shoot opportunities, often clean, fell flat. His driving angles hardly awarded him anything. Jaquez noticeably won their matchups, showing Jones the difference a year can make.

Life as one of the top options — and the only first-round pick actively playing for the Thunder — has hit Jones like a ton of bricks. The reads he excels at making have increasingly become more difficult to create. The Thunder doesn’t have a Jacquez or a Dick or a Brandin Podziemski, players so obviously above Summer League.

The weight of Jones’ workload has swelled, even in an environment seemingly prioritizing development over hunting a Summer League chip.

Still, none of the misses — the clean looks, the forced ones — deterred him.

“It’s been tough,” guard Adam Flagler said. “There’s been games where he may have felt like he wanted to play better but he just couldn’t get it going how he wanted to. But I’ve never seen him once hold his head down or not compete or get back or do any little things.”

On Saturday, Jones talked about hunting his spots without leaning toward selfishness. It’s a natural state for him, a proven facilitator tried in ways this week by his tweener status and the requirements of NBA initiators.

Days later, he finished with 11 points on 14 shots in a 102-73 loss to the Heat. He’s still navigating what shots work for him at this level, and what he’ll have to toss up given his surroundings throughout Summer League. But hardly any of his shots came out of rhythm. And even as the misses piled up, Jones never stopped trying to deliver for a meager OKC offense.

“Everybody knows he’s a high level player,” Flagler said. “Sometimes it doesn’t go in your favor during the game, so we need him to be aggressive. He’s here for a reason.”

Mitchell’s relentless driving

Ajay Mitchell was drafted as a scoring guard.

With his change of pace and touch, Mitchell carved out his own spots in the Big West. Now he’s with the big boys. Defenders that’ll bump him off those same spots and keep him away from his coveted floater.

But after Monday’s game and a small sample of games, it’s obvious: Mitchell will continue to find ways to get where he needs to be.

He finished with 21 points (8 for 14) and five assists Monday, a bright spot in an otherwise grim Thunder performance. Along the way, whether through free throws or trips to the rim, Mitchell twisted his body like Play-Doh.

Mitchell, seeing the same bumps as Jones, used pivots. He twisted his wrist and arms mid air. He took angles no one else thought of if it’d help him to get a place no one else could — the rim.

And time after time, Mitchell saw his floaters and stealthy layup attempts fall.

“He’s not going to be like a finished product by the end of summer league,” coach Daniel Dixon said. “That’s not the goal. The goal is for him to just continue to get better, see different reads, see different coverages and grow through those.”

Mitchell isn’t a finished product by any means. But perhaps he joined the Thunder a bit further than a 38th overall pick tends to be.

More: Adam Flagler brings experience, confidence to OKC Thunder’s NBA Summer League squad

Unreal performance from Josh Christopher, who had the gym eating out of his palm with 23 points for the Heat.

Ajay Mitchell had 21 & 5 (8-14 FG)
Adam Flagler had 20 pts (7-16 FG)
Dillon Jones had 11-6-3 on 14 shots

Things are getting away from OKC here.

Dillon Jones is still shooting, but it’s been rough. 1 for 7 start, 0 for 4 in the quarter. Getting some clean catch-and-shoots. Driving angles have been rough.

Ajay Mitchell has seven points on 3-for-4 shooting to lead the Thunder.

Four main roster players (Isaiah Hartenstein, Isaiah Joe, Cason Wallace and Kenrich Williams) are at the Cox Pavilion for Monday’s Thunder-Heat game in Las Vegas.

More: OKC Thunder rookies Ajay Mitchell, Dillon Jones poised in Las Vegas Summer League debut

Thunder vs Heat start time today

Date: Monday, July 15
Time: 5 p.m. CT
Where: Cox Pavilion in Las Vegas

More: USA vs Australia score updates: Time, TV channel, streaming for USA Basketball Showcase

What channel is Thunder vs Heat on TV today?

TV: ESPNU, Bally Sports Oklahoma
How to watch online: Fubo (free trial)

More: Who is OKC Thunder coach at NBA Summer League in Las Vegas? Meet Daniel Dixon

Thunder vs Heat live score updates in NBA Summer League

More: What channel is OKC Thunder vs Raptors on today? Time, TV for NBA Las Vegas Summer League

All times are Central Standard Time

Saturday, July 13: Toronto 94, OKC 69
Monday, July 15: vs. Miami Heat, 5 p.m. (Bally Sports Oklahoma/ESPNU)
Wednesday, July 17: vs. Phoenix Suns, 7 p.m. (Bally Sports Oklahoma/NBA TV)
Friday, July 19: vs. Golden State Warriors, 9:30 p.m. (Bally Sports Oklahoma/NBA TV)

More: Mussatto: OKC Thunder draftees Dillon Jones, Ajay Mitchell were rare mid-major loyalists

Thunder vs Heat highlights in NBA Summer League

More: NBA Summer League 2024: OKC Thunder roster, schedule and everything else to know

We occasionally recommend interesting products and services. If you make a purchase by clicking one of the links, we may earn an affiliate fee. USA TODAY Network newsrooms operate independently, and this doesn’t influence our coverage.