Aday Mara logged long stretches in the Thunder's Oct. 6 preseason game. Mark Daigneault credited his offseason conditioning: "that's a lot of days that he stacked up with his head down on his body." Mara credited strength coach MJ, who came to Spain to work with him.
Josh Dix drew tough defensive assignments in the Thunder's Oct. 6 preseason game, and Mark Daigneault said he delivered: "he did the job." Daigneault said Dix's confident game matched how he had practiced in the days leading up to it.
Bennett Stirtz, used to having the ball, is still learning to play off it, Mark Daigneault said after the Thunder's Oct. 6 preseason game. But Daigneault liked how Stirtz balanced aggression with running the offense, calling Oct. 6 "actually his best day" of camp.
Bennedict Mathurin on the Pelicans' 18-0 third-quarter run in the Oct. 6 preseason opener: "everybody can get a bucket, but sometimes the defense is pretty much just packed. So we got to move the ball." On the second half: "it starts with defense, man."
From New Orleans's postgame: "A lot of it was the breakdown of individual defense. Now we're having to force help and now there's rotations. And that's why OKC shot the heck out of the basketball for the entire game." The problem "did start in that first quarter."
Karlo Matkovic has a green light from three. "Open shots, they told me like, shoot it, don't hesitate. I won't," the Pelicans big man said at practice, adding he feels no pressure even from the top. Jamahl Mosley wants feet-set threes, with no target number of attempts.
Everyone plays in the Pelicans' Oct. 6 preseason opener, Zion Williamson and Trey Murphy III included, coach Jamahl Mosley said at practice. Dejounte Murray is back from injury and scrimmaging daily against Jeremiah Fears, who added: "The guys not going to play a lot."
Ajay Mitchell, Jared McCain, Kenrich Williams, Brooks Barnhizer, the rookies and camp invites get a long look Oct. 6 with the Thunder's regulars resting. Mark Daigneault: "it gives us a good indicator of where these guys are after a week of camp."
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams, Isaiah Hartenstein, Chet Holmgren, Alex Caruso and Cason Wallace travel but rest Oct. 6 after a high-intensity camp day, Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said; all six play Oct. 7. Nikola Topic and Thomas Sorber also sit, "still limited."
"He laid the foundation for what we stand on now." Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander said Russell Westbrook's retirement was a little shocking because he felt Westbrook had more left, and credited him with building the franchise and the city.