​Setting a screen for Bennett Stirtz, Aday Mara rolled to the rim as the two first-round picks connected on a textbook pick-and-roll. The seven-foot rookie barely left the floor as he finished with an easy layup, capping the sequence with precision. Even with a lopsided scoreboard, their chemistry made this a watchable moment in an event that often leans toward uneven results. The Oklahoma City Thunder remained winless in the July showcase, dropping a 104-79 decision to the Golden State Warriors. Yet Mara and Stirtz looked far more comfortable than they had in earlier outings, and that improvement is exactly what teams monitor at this level.
In a matchup featuring two former Michigan teammates, Mara outshined Yaxel Lendeborg, who has emerged as a Summer League darling. Mara denied Lendeborg on a second-chance opportunity and showed poise despite OKC’s early deficit. The Thunder trailed 27-16 after the first period but began to find some rhythm as the game progressed.
The second frame stood out as Mara’s best stretch of the Summer League thus far. He posted up Lachlan Olbrich, delivering a couple of power dribbles before rising for a one-handed finish at the rim. He followed that up with a post move against Graham Ike, drawing a foul on a turnaround jumper. OKC poured in 22 points in the quarter and headed to halftime down 53-38.
The second half echoed the same narrative: OKC continued to trail by double digits, with Will Richard draining a mid-range jumper to stretch the Warriors’ lead to 63-43 midway through the third. By then, the Thunder were already in a 20-point hole early in the second half. Any late-game intrigue dissipated as the margin hovered. Mara and Stirtz ran a few pick-and-rolls, and both finished the night with double-digit scoring after three quarters. The Thunder managed just 18 points in the frame, slipping to a 73-56 deficit as the fourth quarter approached. The final period followed the familiar Summer League script: end-of-bench players logging most of the minutes as the game slipped further from reach.
The Thunder finished the game with a 23-point fourth quarter, but the comeback never materialized, and they trailed by as many as 26 points. The condensed Summer League clock kept this game efficient, clocking in under two hours even with plenty of stoppages and fouls.
From a team perspective, OKC shot 44% from the field and 26.7% from three, making 8 of 30 attempts. They were 6 of 12 at the free-throw line and totaled 17 assists on 30 baskets. Mara ended with 10 points, nine rebounds, and four assists, showing versatility across guard- and forward-adjacent roles. Stirtz added 13 points and two assists, while Payton Sandfort supplied 11 points off the bench.
On the other side, Golden State shot 44% overall and connected on 36.6% from deep, converting 15 of 41 three-pointers. They were 11 of 13 from the free-throw line and distributed 23 assists on 34 baskets. Six Warriors players reached double figures.
Lendeborg contributed 14 points and four assists for the Warriors, while Graham Ike and the duo of Nick Boyd and Lachlan Olbrich each logged 11 and 14 points, respectively. Ike grabbed eight boards, and Boyd added a similar scoring punch, underscoring the Warriors’ depth.
In the broader scope of the Summer League, this outing offered a glimmer of promise for Mara and Stirtz. Mara’s improved comfort and the duo’s developing rapport in the pick-and-roll series suggest potential growth as the summer continues, even if the results on the scoreboard don’t yet reflect a win column for OKC. The evolving chemistry, willingness to attack the rim, and a more assertive post presence bode well for their development, and for Thunder fans hoping these two young players translate their Summer League opportunities into meaningful contributions in the months ahead.