How Ajay Mitchell became OKC's 2nd-best scorer in Round 1 win over Suns

Just gutsy stuff from Mitchell. This time last year, he was on the outside of OKC's rotation. Now, he's worked his way into the starting lineup — albeit because of injury. Still, though, the 23-year-old has come a long way in a two-season span. He's given the Thunder another go-to scorer. That's not something you could've said in last year's title run.

Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault has loved Mitchell from the moment they added him. He was the rare two-way player who never actually suited up in the G League. That's how ready-now he was from the jump. He's a great on-ball creator and has NBA-ready size to stay in front of players on defense.

"He's a young, second-year player. These are his first two playoff starts. They're on the road. These are the first four games that he's played a true rotation, as I mentioned yesterday and the day before. He's done a great job of just attacking his experiences and then learning from them," Daigneault said about Mitchell. "I thought tonight he had a little more tempo to his game. He's slowed down a little bit. He definitely played better than he did the other night, despite the fact that he was really good in terms of his aggression. But his floor game tonight was really good."

Adjusting from his Game 3 outing, Mitchell had the right mix of confidence and shot-hunting. The Thunder have continued to add more to his plate. And he's gladly accepted it. Now, he's putting up high-scoring numbers in the NBA playoffs. An unreal journey for a guy who wasn't counted on to explode like this. But Gilgeous-Alexander respects surprising journeys like his. After all, he has firsthand experience in it.

"Ajay is one of the toughest dudes in the league. Mentally, he's never shaken. He's never afraid of the moment. Ajay could be having the worst day ever and you would never know. He's so solid," Gilgeous-Alexander said about Mitchell. "Having a teammate like that just makes you so much more confident. Just knowing that, no matter what, you know what you're getting from him."

This article originally appeared on OKC Thunder Wire: How Ajay Mitchell became OKC's 2nd-best scorer in Round 1 win over Suns