Cole learning on the fly for Thunder

Thunder career got off to a solid start.

In game two, it took a step back.

That’s perhaps not surprising for a player who signed with Oklahoma City on Wednesday and played in back-to-back games at Portland and Phoenix on Thursday and Friday in his first NBA action of the season.

Cole, who had seven points, two assists, no turnovers and shot 2 of 5 in 11 minutes against the Blazers, was 1-for-6 from the floor against the Suns, finishing with two points, no assists and two turnovers in 10 minutes.

Phoenix’s ball pressure presented problems for Cole, a veteran who was playing his second NBA game this season after playing until December in the Chinese Basketball Association.

“I think for him, being pressured and coming into a new system and a new style and having to be a point guard and run the team, it was a difficult task for him,” Thunder coach said after the Suns game. “These are the moments I think that will probably help him get better. He’s a veteran guy. He’s smart, he’s bright and he’ll be able to get better from this.”

The Thunder outscored the Blazers by three points in Cole’s minutes. The Suns outscored OKC by 17 when he played on Friday.

Cole, who played 272 games with Miami and New Orleans over his first four seasons in the NBA, has yet to go through a practice with the Thunder, relying on one shootaround and a walkthrough to pick up what he can.

He’s also playing in a second unit with

and who each has played only five games with the Thunder since a trade from Chicago, meaning most of that group still is finding its way.

“When you’re a point guard it’s hard coming into a new team,” Donovan said. “Not only are you trying to adjust and fit in, but you’ve got to understand what the other 13, 14 guys do. So I’ve got to try to help (Cole) the best I can. But it’s not even about that. He’s a veteran guy that knows exactly what needs to be done.”

Still at home

who has missed the past five games with back spasms and has not been on the three-game road trip that concludes Sunday in Dallas, did not join the Thunder on Saturday.

The team spent Friday night in Phoenix and flew on Saturday to Dallas, where it had an off day, customary after back-to-back games. The Thunder will have a shootaround on Sunday morning. Though the team has not ruled out Oladipo coming to Dallas, it’s not expecting him to. Donovan said the medical staff had done “nothing remotely close to saying” Oladipo could be available against the Mavs.

Quotable

“It is. At the same time, man, it’s towards the end of the season. We’re fighting for spots in playoffs, different things of that nature. So we got to come out and compete.” – on the notion that learning to win on the road is a process for a young and retooling team.