Thunder Face Hawks With Nine Players in NBA Preseason

Oklahoma City entered its October 12, 2026, NBA preseason matchup against Atlanta with only nine players available, giving its rookies an opportunity to compete at State Farm Arena in Atlanta. The Thunder rested their established rotation ahead of a back-to-back schedule, while the Hawks continued preparations for the 2026-27 season after winning two of their first three preseason games, according to USA TODAY and Yahoo Sports. The Thunder arrived with an 0-2 preseason record after losing 116-110 to New Orleans on October 6 and 128-126 to Milwaukee on October 7.

Aday Mara led Oklahoma City's performance against Milwaukee with 22 points and six rebounds, according to USA TODAY's Thunder coverage. Atlanta entered the contest following a 119-117 victory over Indiana on October 10. Jalen Johnson contributed 20 points and seven rebounds, while Aaron Wiggins scored 13 points off the bench in his new team's win, according to USA TODAY.

Oklahoma City's lineup featured rookies and players on two-way and Exhibit-10 contracts. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams, Chet Holmgren, Isaiah Hartenstein, Cason Wallace, Ajay Mitchell, Alex Caruso, Jared McCain, Jaylin Williams, Kenrich Williams, Nikola Topic and Thomas Sorber were listed as resting, while McCain's absence had been confirmed before the game by CBS Sports.

With its regular players unavailable, Oklahoma City started Bennett Stirtz, Josh Dix, Otega Oweh, Brooks Barnhizer and Mara. Atlanta opened with Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Kingston Flemings, Corey Kispert, Asa Newell and Jock Landale, according to USA TODAY's game coverage. The Hawks also rested former Oklahoma City guards Lu Dort and Aaron Wiggins, who had joined Atlanta following offseason transactions. Their absence meant the anticipated reunion with their former team did not take place on the court during this preseason matchup, according to Yahoo Sports.

Mara became a central focus after Oklahoma City selected the 7-foot-3 center from Michigan in the 2026 NBA Draft. Atlanta had considered selecting him with the eighth pick but ultimately chose Kingston Flemings, a Houston guard projected to become a long-term option at point guard. The selection created an additional storyline for the matchup, as both rookies were preparing to demonstrate their value in different roles. Flemings was brought in following Atlanta's January trade of Trae Young, while Mara offered Oklahoma City another young interior option.

Early game updates showed Atlanta leading 29-28 at the end of the first quarter. Mara had recorded five points, four rebounds and three assists in nine minutes, while Atlanta rookie Zuby Ejiofor had six points, one assist and one rebound in five minutes, according to Yahoo Sports. Oklahoma City's next preseason game was scheduled for October 13 against the Indiana Pacers, followed by a road matchup against the Houston Rockets on October 15. The consecutive games made the Atlanta contest the first half of a road-and-home back-to-back, according to USA TODAY's Thunder coverage.