Injuries to Jalen Williams, Cason Wallace and Chet Holgrem opened the door to a starting role for Mara with the Thunder, and he did not waste the opportunity. The center scored nine points, grabbed five rebounds, handed out two assists and recorded three blocks in nearly 25 minutes on the court. The Zaragoza native also went 4-for-6 on two-point attempts and 1-for-2 from the free-throw line, coming close to double figures in scoring.
It was another game highlighting the growing importance of the Zaragoza native at the start of the season. Both his coach, Mark Daigneault, and his teammates are increasingly trusting a center who will continue to see significant playing time because of his team’s absences and the strong performances he has delivered on the court.
The Thunder beat the Cavaliers largely thanks to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s performance. The NBA MVP over the past two seasons delivered a stellar showing, leading his team with 43 points, four rebounds and eight assists. In fact, one of his three-pointers with 33 seconds left on the clock was what ultimately swung the game in the Thunder’s favor.
ADAY MARA'S NUMBERS
Following this game, Aday Mara has played eight official NBA games and has already recorded his first double-double. It has been an impressive start to the season, with the Zaragoza-born center averaging 6.8 points, 5.5 rebounds, 1.3 assists and a notable 1.9 blocks.
In fact, Mara ranks seventh among players with the highest blocks-per-game average. The list is led comfortably by Victor Wembanyama, who already knows the bitter feeling of being blocked by the Zaragoza-born center in the Thunder’s first game of the season.
