Aday Mara is quickly becoming one of the biggest storylines of the Oklahoma City Thunder’s preseason after another impressive performance against the Milwaukee Bucks.
The Thunder suffered a narrow 128-126 preseason loss to the Bucks on Oct. 7, but the result was overshadowed by Mara’s dominant showing. The 7-foot-3 center scored 22 points on a perfect 10-of-10 shooting, while adding six rebounds, two assists and one block.
Aday Mara Shines in Thunder Preseason Loss
With Chet Holmgren, Isaiah Hartenstein and Jaylin Williams unavailable, the Thunder gave Mara an opportunity to work with the primary rotation. He took full advantage of it.
Mara immediately showed why Oklahoma City is so intrigued by his potential. His size, soft touch and ability to finish around the rim created problems for Milwaukee throughout the first half.
The Thunder repeatedly went to the pick-and-roll with Mara, allowing their ball-handlers to take advantage of his enormous catch radius. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was among the players who connected with him, including an alley-oop that highlighted just how dangerous the pairing could become.
Mara finished the night without missing a field-goal attempt, making all 10 of his shots.
Mara Earns an A-Plus Grade
Mara received an A-plus grade for his performance, and it was easy to see why.
The rookie displayed impressive footwork in the post, using a fake and spin move to score against Milwaukee’s frontcourt. His rim-running was equally impressive, giving Oklahoma City another way to generate easy points.
Defensively, his size also made a noticeable difference. The Bucks had difficulty attacking him around the basket, while his length allowed him to act as a major deterrent near the rim.
After two preseason games, the Thunder are getting increasingly encouraged by what they are seeing from Mara.
His conditioning was one of the major questions surrounding him entering the preseason, particularly after his difficult Summer League showing. However, he has responded strongly and looked much more comfortable in NBA action.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Connects With Mara
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander finished with 17 points, five assists and three rebounds while shooting a perfect 5-of-5 from the field and 3-of-3 from beyond the arc.
One of the more interesting aspects of his outing was how often Gilgeous-Alexander operated away from the ball. The Thunder have talked about increasing his off-ball involvement, and Mara gives him another weapon to work with.
Because Mara can catch difficult passes and finish above the rim, Oklahoma City ball-handlers can throw the ball toward the basket with confidence.
That could eventually make Mara an intriguing offensive partner for Gilgeous-Alexander.
Jalen Williams Also Makes Strong Return
Jalen Williams earned an A after scoring 16 points on 8-of-11 shooting. He also recorded six assists, three rebounds and two steals.
Williams attacked the basket repeatedly and looked much more like the dynamic two-way player Thunder fans have come to expect.
His defensive activity was particularly encouraging. Williams disrupted Milwaukee possessions and quickly turned defensive plays into transition opportunities.
After a frustrating previous season, his preseason return was another positive sign for Oklahoma City.
Bennett Stirtz Continues to Impress
Bennett Stirtz was another major bright spot.
The 23-year-old scored 20 points on 6-of-11 shooting, including 4-of-7 from three-point range. All of his scoring came in the second half after sitting out the opening two quarters.
Stirtz found his rhythm quickly and began hunting his shot once he saw several three-pointers fall.
His ability to create offense could become particularly important for a Thunder team that underwent significant roster changes during the offseason.
Thunder Blow Another Big Lead
Despite the individual performances, Oklahoma City again struggled to close out a preseason game.
The Thunder exploded for 44 points in the first quarter and added 38 more in the second to take an 82-64 halftime advantage. They led by as many as 24 points.
However, once Oklahoma City rested most of its primary players, Milwaukee mounted a major comeback.
The Bucks eventually scored 19 consecutive points during one stretch and entered the fourth quarter within striking distance. Oklahoma City led 102-97 entering the final period but couldn’t hold on.
Milwaukee used an 8-1 run late in the game to take control before closing out the 128-126 victory.
Thunder Offensive Numbers Show Promise
Oklahoma City shot 50% from the field and made 17 of 46 three-point attempts. The Thunder also recorded 34 assists on 46 made field goals.
Six Oklahoma City players scored in double figures:
- Aday Mara: 22 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists
- Bennett Stirtz: 20 points, 5 rebounds
- Shai Gilgeous-Alexander: 17 points, 5 assists, 3 rebounds
- Jalen Williams: 16 points, 6 assists, 3 rebounds
- Alex Caruso: 12 points
- Jared McCain: 11 points
The Bucks had six players reach double figures as well, led by Myles Turner with 19 points and five rebounds.
What Aday Mara’s Performance Means for OKC
The Thunder haven’t won either of their preseason games, but the bigger picture remains encouraging.
Mara has emerged as one of the team’s most intriguing young players. His combination of size, finishing ability, passing potential and defensive presence gives Oklahoma City an offensive weapon it hasn’t had in this form before.
At 7-foot-3, Mara can create scoring opportunities simply by being near the basket. His ability to finish lobs also gives Oklahoma City’s guards an easy target in the pick-and-roll.
If he can maintain his conditioning and translate this preseason form into the regular season, Mara could quickly become an important part of the Thunder’s rotation.
For now, the preseason results don’t matter much. What matters is that Aday Mara looks increasingly NBA-ready, and Oklahoma City has plenty of reasons to be excited about what he can bring.
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