Thunder rookies shine in preseason 108-99 win against Nuggets

This was probably the Oklahoma City Thunder’s best preseason performance.

Many rookies went toe-to-toe with the defending MVP and Denver Nuggets and were able to close this game out with a 108-99 win.

Josh Giddey continues to impress and shows why he was selected in the top six. Against the Nuggets, Giddey finished with 14 points, six rebounds, and three assists.

He also showed off some of his impressive dribbling and passing skills all night long. If Giddey continues to punch in performances like these during the regular season, Thunder fans should be ecstatic about his potential.

Lu Dort continues his hot shooting from outside with 14 points and shot 3-of-4 from three.

Dort has been shooting the three-ball exceptionally well in three games, which is an encouraging sign that last season’s improvement was legit and not just a one-season event.

Then there’s Darius Bazley, who balled out today after struggling in the first two preseason contests. Shooting woes were forgotten tonight as he scored 16 points on 5-of-8 shooting.

This is a big season for the third-year-forward and if he is going to stick around for the future, then shooting nights like these need to occur regularly this season.

Tre Mann also had his best preseason performance, scoring 14 points on 5-of-10 shooting. Mann has looked extremely raw so far but showed the potential he could reach potential someday.

Derrick Favors did an excellent job in his Thunder debut, finishing with 10 points and five rebounds. Isaiah Roby, another candidate for the starting center spot, finished with 14 points.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had a relatively quiet night with nine points, four assists, and three rebounds.

But that probably has to do with SGA taking a step back tonight and letting the young guys run the show late in the game.

Overall, this was a great dress rehearsal game for the team as the Nuggets played their starter's heavy minutes. The Thunder will now close out preseason against the same group tomorrow night at the BOK Center.