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Everyone sweats at least a little bit in the sweltering Las Vegas heat.
That includes the Los Angeles Lakers, who looked like they were going to cruise to a dominant win to begin NBA Summer League play in Sin City on Friday.
But the OKC Thunder cranked up the temperature down the stretch, trimming a 20-point deficit to just nine with 2:23 remaining. And the man who caught fire was Bennett Stirtz, who torched the nets for eight points during the fourth quarter.
Los Angeles stayed cool under pressure, though. It ultimately earned a 96-84 win thanks in large part to Adou Thiero, who stuffed the stat sheet with 20 points, four rebounds, four assists, three steals and two blocks.
OKC is now 0-4 in Summer League play, including its time in Salt Lake City. Next up is a game against the Golden State Warriors at 5 p.m. CT Sunday (Prime Video).
Here are three takeaways from the loss:
More: Aday Mara, Bennett Stirtz headline OKC Thunder storylines entering NBA Summer League play
Order our book on Thunder's run to 2025 NBA title
After getting the ball poked away from behind midway through the second quarter, Stirtz turned around to see who the culprit was. But it was too late to do anything about it at that point.
There was no stopping Thiero, who was already three quarters of the way up the floor. The Los Angeles forward then elevated for a windmill dunk. One that amplified both the crowd and Stirtz's turnover, which was his fourth of the night.
Stirtz was a steady ball handler last season at Iowa. He averaged 4.4 assists and 1.8 turnovers, giving him an assist-to-turnover ratio of about 2.4. That ratio has dropped to exactly one throughout his three Summer League appearances (seven assists and seven turnovers).
It's a clear sign of the game needing to slow down for Stirtz, which is expected for a rookie guard. It's also a sign of the heavy facilitating duties he has been given out the gate, with Nikola Topić sidelined due to injury.
But progress could be seen in real time Friday. Stirtz didn't commit any turnovers during the second half, as he looked far more comfortable as a creator for both himself and others. He finished with a stat line of 18 points, two assists, one steal and one block on 7-for-14 shooting from the field (3 for 8 from deep) in 28 minutes.
"There were not really any adjustments," Stirtz said. "I just kept shooting. Even though the shots weren't falling, I'm going to keep shooting it because that's the type of shooter I am. Luckily, they went in later in the game."
It was an encouraging end to the night for Stirtz, who should continue to adapt to the NBA. Turnovers will go down as he gains experience and plays more off ball. Assists will go up as he plays alongside better talent.
More: Bennett Stirtz isn't from a small town, but one helped shape OKC Thunder draft pick
When Aday Mara snagged an offensive rebound in the center of the lane late in the second quarter, his first instinct was to look around for an open teammate.
That's part of what makes the 7-foot-3 center such a promising prospect. He possesses impressive floor vision and passing skills at his size.
But had Mara simply looked in front of him, he would've seen that he was being defended by 6-4 guard Chris Manon. Someone who couldn't get a hand in Mara's face if he tried.
It was an easy opportunity for Mara to go up strong for a putback, but he instead zipped a behind-the-back pass to Brooks Barnhizer that flew out of bounds.
Finding the right time to be aggressive is a work in progress for Mara, as seen by his outing on Friday. He finished with two points, seven rebounds, two blocks, one assist and one steal on 0-for-3 shooting from the field in 25 minutes.
"Be the guy that (OKC) took at pick 12," Barnhizer said of his advice to Mara. "Be confident in yourself. He's super tall. He can alter shots at the rim. He can really pass. He had some flashes. But the same thing happened to me last year. You've got to shake the dust off as a rookie, and he'll do that."
More: Thunder culture influenced Michigan basketball, so Aday Mara will fit right in with OKC
Josh Dix and Payton Sandfort are Hawkeyes at heart, going back to their time together at Iowa.
But they also possess the long-range accuracy of the Marvel superhero who bears the same name, and they showcased that skill against Los Angeles.
Sandfort recorded 10 points and seven rebounds on 2-for-5 shooting from deep in 19 minutes off the bench. Dix chipped in eight points and two rebounds on 2-for-5 shooting from distance in 24 minutes.
Dix and Sandfort should continue to provide floor spacing with the OKC Blue this upcoming season.
Dix signed a two-way contract with the Thunder after going undrafted this summer, while Sandfort spent the end of last season on the same deal before being waived on July 2. The second-year forward figures to remain with OKC's G League team and could certainly earn that spot back at some point.
More: How injuries helped OKC Thunder's Payton Sandfort gain perspective on NBA opportunity
Justin Martinez covers the Thunder and NBA for The Oklahoman. Have a story idea for Justin? He can be reached at [email protected] or on X/Twitter at @Justintohoops. Sign up for the Thunder Sports Minute newsletter to access more NBA coverage. Support Justin's work and that of other Oklahoman journalists by purchasing a digital subscription today at subscribe.oklahoman.com.
This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Bennett Stirtz finds rhythm, but OKC Thunder still drops Summer League game to Lakers
Continue reading...
That includes the Los Angeles Lakers, who looked like they were going to cruise to a dominant win to begin NBA Summer League play in Sin City on Friday.
But the OKC Thunder cranked up the temperature down the stretch, trimming a 20-point deficit to just nine with 2:23 remaining. And the man who caught fire was Bennett Stirtz, who torched the nets for eight points during the fourth quarter.
Los Angeles stayed cool under pressure, though. It ultimately earned a 96-84 win thanks in large part to Adou Thiero, who stuffed the stat sheet with 20 points, four rebounds, four assists, three steals and two blocks.
OKC is now 0-4 in Summer League play, including its time in Salt Lake City. Next up is a game against the Golden State Warriors at 5 p.m. CT Sunday (Prime Video).
Here are three takeaways from the loss:
More: Aday Mara, Bennett Stirtz headline OKC Thunder storylines entering NBA Summer League play
Order our book on Thunder's run to 2025 NBA title
NBA game is slowing down in real time for Bennett Stirtz
After getting the ball poked away from behind midway through the second quarter, Stirtz turned around to see who the culprit was. But it was too late to do anything about it at that point.
There was no stopping Thiero, who was already three quarters of the way up the floor. The Los Angeles forward then elevated for a windmill dunk. One that amplified both the crowd and Stirtz's turnover, which was his fourth of the night.
Stirtz was a steady ball handler last season at Iowa. He averaged 4.4 assists and 1.8 turnovers, giving him an assist-to-turnover ratio of about 2.4. That ratio has dropped to exactly one throughout his three Summer League appearances (seven assists and seven turnovers).
It's a clear sign of the game needing to slow down for Stirtz, which is expected for a rookie guard. It's also a sign of the heavy facilitating duties he has been given out the gate, with Nikola Topić sidelined due to injury.
But progress could be seen in real time Friday. Stirtz didn't commit any turnovers during the second half, as he looked far more comfortable as a creator for both himself and others. He finished with a stat line of 18 points, two assists, one steal and one block on 7-for-14 shooting from the field (3 for 8 from deep) in 28 minutes.
"There were not really any adjustments," Stirtz said. "I just kept shooting. Even though the shots weren't falling, I'm going to keep shooting it because that's the type of shooter I am. Luckily, they went in later in the game."
It was an encouraging end to the night for Stirtz, who should continue to adapt to the NBA. Turnovers will go down as he gains experience and plays more off ball. Assists will go up as he plays alongside better talent.
More: Bennett Stirtz isn't from a small town, but one helped shape OKC Thunder draft pick
Aday Mara is still learning when to be more aggressive
When Aday Mara snagged an offensive rebound in the center of the lane late in the second quarter, his first instinct was to look around for an open teammate.
That's part of what makes the 7-foot-3 center such a promising prospect. He possesses impressive floor vision and passing skills at his size.
But had Mara simply looked in front of him, he would've seen that he was being defended by 6-4 guard Chris Manon. Someone who couldn't get a hand in Mara's face if he tried.
It was an easy opportunity for Mara to go up strong for a putback, but he instead zipped a behind-the-back pass to Brooks Barnhizer that flew out of bounds.
Finding the right time to be aggressive is a work in progress for Mara, as seen by his outing on Friday. He finished with two points, seven rebounds, two blocks, one assist and one steal on 0-for-3 shooting from the field in 25 minutes.
"Be the guy that (OKC) took at pick 12," Barnhizer said of his advice to Mara. "Be confident in yourself. He's super tall. He can alter shots at the rim. He can really pass. He had some flashes. But the same thing happened to me last year. You've got to shake the dust off as a rookie, and he'll do that."
More: Thunder culture influenced Michigan basketball, so Aday Mara will fit right in with OKC
Josh Dix, Payton Sandfort continue to showcase shooting skills
Josh Dix and Payton Sandfort are Hawkeyes at heart, going back to their time together at Iowa.
But they also possess the long-range accuracy of the Marvel superhero who bears the same name, and they showcased that skill against Los Angeles.
Sandfort recorded 10 points and seven rebounds on 2-for-5 shooting from deep in 19 minutes off the bench. Dix chipped in eight points and two rebounds on 2-for-5 shooting from distance in 24 minutes.
Dix and Sandfort should continue to provide floor spacing with the OKC Blue this upcoming season.
Dix signed a two-way contract with the Thunder after going undrafted this summer, while Sandfort spent the end of last season on the same deal before being waived on July 2. The second-year forward figures to remain with OKC's G League team and could certainly earn that spot back at some point.
More: How injuries helped OKC Thunder's Payton Sandfort gain perspective on NBA opportunity
Justin Martinez covers the Thunder and NBA for The Oklahoman. Have a story idea for Justin? He can be reached at [email protected] or on X/Twitter at @Justintohoops. Sign up for the Thunder Sports Minute newsletter to access more NBA coverage. Support Justin's work and that of other Oklahoman journalists by purchasing a digital subscription today at subscribe.oklahoman.com.
This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Bennett Stirtz finds rhythm, but OKC Thunder still drops Summer League game to Lakers
Continue reading...
