‘A Factor At The Rim’: Quin Snyder Sees Value In Hawks Facing Aday Mara

Aday Mara blocked five shots Monday night against the Atlanta Hawks, four of them before halftime. The Oklahoma City Thunder rookie also put up 17 points, 10 rebounds, and 6 assists in 33 minutes, but Atlanta won the preseason game 113-110 at State Farm Arena.

Mara's blocks came on shots by Kingston Flemings, Zuby Ejiofor, Corey Kispert, Jalen Wilson, and Nickeil Alexander-Walker. Oklahoma City finished with 13 blocks as a team.

Hawks coach Quin Snyder spoke at the podium after the game and said Mara's presence gave Atlanta a useful challenge.

"I think young players kind of as a team looking to play together," Snyder said. "I think for one thing, we saw that late in the game. Really, when we started the game, I thought we were really good in transition, particularly after makes, where guys were spaced. They were looking for each other, making really good reads."

"Mara, obviously, is a factor at the rim," Snyder continued. "It took us a little while to adjust to that, which is good. We're going to see shot blockers, and go in there and just having a presence, having to read someone like that who has a presence at the rim. Lots of good things that we saw and an opportunity for a few guys. Really, the way that we finished the game defensively was good to see."

Mara went 4-of-9 from the field and 9-of-12 at the free-throw line. Monday was his third preseason appearance. He started the Oct. 6 opener against New Orleans and scored 22 points against Milwaukee the next night.

He did not play in Oklahoma City's July 7 Summer League game against Utah, and the Thunder shut him down for the rest of Las Vegas Summer League on July 16. The Thunder made the 7-foot-3 center out of Michigan their first selection in the June draft.

Ejiofor had seen him before. His St. John's team met Mara's Michigan team in an Oct. 25, 2025, exhibition at Madison Square Garden.

On July 6 in Salt Lake City Summer League play, the Hawks rallied from 20 points down to beat the Thunder 82-77 at the Jon M. Huntsman Center. Ejiofor had 19 points, 15 rebounds, and 3 assists that night, and he made three 3-pointers, a range he kept showing over four Summer League games. Mara had 10 points, 9 rebounds, and 4 blocks in 23 minutes.

Ejiofor, who came off the bench Monday, also spoke after the game and noticed a different role for Mara than the last time they met.

"I think they utilized him a lot more as an offensive hub this time around," Ejiofor said. "[We] haven't played [each] other for a little while now. So he was able to make some reads at the top of the key, and we find ourselves kind of in some miscommunication early on. But we're able to clean it up towards the end and come out with a victory."

Ejiofor finished with 15 points and 9 rebounds in 23 minutes. Mara blocked one of his shots in the first quarter.

All six of Mara's assists came before the 9:56 mark of the third quarter. Three came in the first quarter, on a Josh Dix floater, a Brooks Barnhizer cutting layup, and an Anthony Pritchard reverse layup. Two more set up second-quarter dunks by Zhaire Smith and Barnhizer, and the last fed a Bennett Stirtz layup early in the third.

The Thunder rested their entire starting lineup Monday and had nine players available. Stirtz, also a rookie, led all scorers with 26 points and made six 3-pointers. Roundtable's Thunder coverage focused on the two rookies after the game.

Oklahoma City fell to 0-3 in the preseason and hosts the Indiana Pacers on Tuesday. Atlanta, now 3-1, plays at Oklahoma City on Nov. 18 in the regular season.