Bennett Stirtz left the Thunder's Oct. 6 preseason game with an ankle issue but played Oct. 7, the second night of the back-to-back. Mark Daigneault said Stirtz "obviously went out with the ankle thing" and "had to get some recovery in" before playing again.
Aday Mara is getting post touches from Thunder veterans unprompted, which Mark Daigneault called "a sign of trust" for a rookie big. Teammates also run the floor for his deep outlet passes and look for him rolling to the rim, Daigneault said after the Oct. 7 preseason game.
Jared McCain on why Thunder teammates bring the ball up for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander: "he's always guarded by the best player. When he has to take the ball up, he's getting tired." Mark Daigneault lets McCain take tough shots, but "when you take a bad one, he'll let you know."
Two games into his career, Brayden Burries helped close a tight fourth quarter for the Bucks at Oklahoma City, including a dunk off a drive. "He kind of relishes those moments," Taylor Jenkins said. "I don't think he gets sped up." He'll push him on late-game offense.
Kel'el Ware and Myles Turner will keep playing together over the Bucks' next three games. Taylor Jenkins said both bigs can make plays on the perimeter and shoot, which gives Milwaukee versatility: "seeing those 2 guys together, it's been on my mind."
At Oklahoma City on Oct. 7, Bucks coach Taylor Jenkins expects to work in some of Kasparas Jakucionis, Ousmane Dieng and Bogoljub Markovic ("Not sure if it'll be all the guys") and will settle it with staff on the flight. Nate Ament is due minutes, but "later in the game."
"I don't want Tyler just to be a guy that's playing off the ball." Bucks coach Taylor Jenkins will put Tyler Herro in more situations handling pressure. With a guard-heavy roster, he will test lineups through preseason before deciding on opening night.