3 Takeaways from Thunder's Summer League Rout of 76ers

Oklahoma City Thunder basketball is already back in action.

It might just be Summer League, but that calls for its young talent and G League roster to get valuable reps throughout the month. Oklahoma City picked up its first win in Utah thus far, defeating the Philadelphia 76ers in an 89-78 contest.

It wasn't a particularly pretty game for the Thunder offensively, but nevertheless, it found a way to pull out a double-digit victory. With Ajay Mitchell at the helm of the roster, not a lot of other teams can compete with a rising sophomore who just played a factor in a championship win.

Here are three takeaways from yesterday's win:

Topic was Productive, Despite Shooting Woes

Looking soley at his shooting numbers, Nikola Topic's performance against Philadelphia seemed rather lackluster. He shot just 2-of-13 from the field, while going 0-of-6 from behind the arc.

However, the incoming rookie found ways to remain productive even when the shots weren't falling. He scored 11 points thanks in large part to 7-of-8 shooting from the free-throw line, while adding three rebounds, five assists and three steals.

The potential for Topic is through the roof. At just 19 years old, his skillset already seems to be quite advanced compared to the average player. He hadn't played a game of basketball in 15 months, so the adjustment to playing against NBA-level talent is still developing.

Not every play is going to be perfect for Topic as he grows as a player, but it's clear he's going to play an important role for Oklahoma City eventually. This Summer League is simply the baseline of what he could become.

Defense Stays Strong

The Thunder kept a defensive identity during last season, which helped it capture its first NBA championship. For the Summer League roster, that side of the game was equally a strong suit.

Oklahoma City shot sub-40% from the field as a unit — a stat that normally would hold it back from a win. However, a key stat was one of the biggest separators from both teams: turnovers.

The 76ers turned the ball over 22 times, compared to the Thunder's 14. That included six from guard Jalen Hood-Schifino, as well as five from forward Justin Edwards. That drastically held back the capability of Philadelphia's offense, even if it finished with better shooting percentages.

Oklahoma City getting strong defense at the Summer League level just goes to show how deep its personnel goes. Some of the players who showcase it during the summer could have a shot at doing it on the main roster one day.

Follow the Leader

Mitchell is the most experienced player on the Thunder's Summer League roster by a considerable margin, but that's a good thing. Not only does it let the unexperienced get playing time, but it allows him to spend time as a leader.

The guard dropped 16 points, five rebounds, five assists, a steal and two blocks on 3-of-11 shooting from the field and 9-of-9 from the charity stripe. Like Topic, his shot wasn't exactly falling at a high rate, but getting to the rim helped him rack up foul calls.

Mitchell did get playing time in the NBA Finals, but this period could help him have a bigger role on the roster this season. Oklahoma City has a lot of talent to divide minutes for, but he's proven many times that he can be a valuable contributor.

If the Thunder end up having a lot of success in Summer League this year, you can bet that Mitchell is going to be one of the driving forces behind that.