Aday Mara Reaches 100 Career NBA Points With OKC Thunder

Aday Mara reached 100 career NBA points in his 12th appearance on Wednesday during a 118-108 defeat to the Portland Trail Blazers at the Moda Center, according to Mundo Deportivo.

The 21-year-old and 2.21-meter Spanish center has not missed registering at least one block in every single one of his 12 NBA games played to date, Mundo Deportivo reported.

Milestone Against Portland Trail Blazers

The 21-year-old Spanish center recorded 11 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists, and 1 block in nearly 32 minutes of action, shooting 4-for-8 from the field and 3-for-4 from the free-throw line, Mundo Deportivo reported. By reaching the 100-point mark in 12 games, Mara became the fifth-fastest Spanish player to hit the milestone in the NBA, according to basketball journalist Alejandro Gaitán via Mundo Deportivo.

Mara surpassed Juan Carlos Navarro, who reached 100 points during the 2007-08 season with the Memphis Grizzlies, as well as Nikola Mirotic, Willy Hernangómez, Raúl López, and Jorge Garbajosa, Mundo Deportivo reported. The only Spanish players to reach 100 points faster in the NBA are Rudy Fernández (8 games), Pau Gasol (8 games), Marc Gasol (9 games), and Ricky Rubio (10 games), according to the same report.

The game marked Mara’s return to the starting lineup and a career-high in playing time, aided by frontcourt absences in Oklahoma City, according to Estadio Deportivo. Oklahoma City Thunder coach Mark Daigneault has relied on the rookie amid injuries to Chet Holmgren, Jalen Williams, and Cason Wallace.

Chet Holmgren's absence allowed Mara to start for a Thunder team that also lacked Jalen Williams and Cason Wallace at the start of the season, according to Estadio Deportivo.

Coach Daigneault Praises Rookie Resilience

Following the contest in Portland, Daigneault highlighted Mara’s competitive drive and physical toughness after back-to-back losses against the Trail Blazers, MARCA reported. The Thunder head coach pointed to Mara’s ability to absorb contact and bounce back instantly from tough plays.

“In the NBA you take hits and you have to be resilient to absorb them,” Daigneault said.

Daigneault added that Mara possesses foundational skills for the league, noting that his physical strength will naturally develop with age and experience, SPORT reported. “He is young, he will gain strength and experience, but that fighting character and resilience are qualities to play in the NBA, and it is clear that he has them,” Daigneault told SPORT.

Beyond the statistics, Daigneault wanted to focus on the competitive character of the Spaniard, stating, “He has shown it from the beginning. They knock him down and he gets back up,” according to SPORT.

To exemplify this, the Thunder coach recalled an action from an encounter against Houston where Mara received a dunk from an opponent and responded immediately on the other side of the floor, SPORT reported. “I think it was in Houston, where they dunked on him and then he came back on the attack and got a basket with a foul,” Daigneault said.

Thunder Fall Despite Gilgeous-Alexander Effort

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 31 points for Oklahoma City, while teammate Isaiah Hartenstein added 20 points and 11 rebounds, according to Estadio Deportivo. Despite those performances, the Thunder could not overcome Portland’s offense led by Deni Avdija with 28 points, alongside veteran guards Jrue Holiday with 19 points and Damian Lillard with 18 points, Mundo Deportivo reported.

“I hope Sergio is well, and well, Baba is playing very well, Aday is playing very well, everyone is taking advantage of their opportunity and that will help us for the future,” González told Estadio Deportivo.

Next Steps for Oklahoma City

Mara enters the next stretch averaging 11.4 points and 7.2 rebounds over his last five appearances, maintaining a 64.1% shooting clip from the field, according to SPORT. This performance confirms his progression in the best league in the world, SPORT reported.