Short-handed Oklahoma City Thunder dropped a 106-89 preseason game to Dallas, leaving them at 1-1. With most regulars sidelined, OKC leaned on youth and clawed back in the final minutes after trailing by as many as 32.

Cason Wallace returned to the Dallas area but shot just 3-for-14 while contributing six boards and a couple of assists. Brooks Barnhizer matched his defensive intensity with a game-high 16 points for Oklahoma City, and rookie Zack Austin supplied 13 points as a 3-and-9 threat.

Cooper Flagg flashed potential for Dallas with 10 points in limited minutes, but Barnhizer’s physical defense limited him. OKC soaked up extra reps and coach Mark Daigneault stressed competing through all 48 minutes as the club continues to evaluate depth pieces for the regular season.

Oklahoma City Thunder enter 2025-26 with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander leading a deep, hungry core as they chase back-to-back titles, a feat last achieved by Golden State in 2017-18.

Jalen Williams is expected to serve as the second option, while Chet Holmgren could break out after a limited sophomore year. Holmgren’s five-year max extension signals huge faith in his ceiling—20+ PPG, top-five in blocks and elite floor spacing—though durability remains a concern and Williams’ offseason wrist surgery could push the start of the season.

Max Kulish outlines punt strategies for 2025-26 fantasy basketball, showing how punting threes, FT%, FG%, or assists reshapes rosters and boosts value when a category is skipped. He lists prime targets per build, weighs risk against upside, and highlights sleepers who gain prominence as soon as a category is punted.

Focus areas include: punting threes to lean into big men and mid-range efficiency, punting FT% around Giannis-like anchors, punting FG% with high-volume shooters, and punting assists by avoiding high-assist playmakers. Concrete targets and situational picks drive actionable drafting plans for savvy rosters.