The Oklahoma City Thunder, fresh off their triumphant NBA championship run, showed little sign of a championship hangover in their preseason debut. The defending titleholders kicked off their exhibition schedule with a decisive 135-114 victory over the Charlotte Hornets on Sunday,signaling their readiness to defend their crown.

Though, the dominant performance was tempered by the absence of several key players. Stars like Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Luguentz Dort, Chet Holmgren, and jalen Williams were held out of the action, a common strategy in the early stages of training camp to manage player load and prevent