OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — The Oklahoma City Thunder took a commanding 2-0 lead in the Western Conference first-round playoff series after a dominant 124-92 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans on Wednesday.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the way for the Thunder with 33 points, showcasing the team’s newfound maturity on the court. Gilgeous-Alexander emphasized the team’s focus on winning, rather than being distracted by other factors that have troubled top seeds in the past.
Chet Holmgren and Jalen Williams also had impressive performances, contributing 26 and 21 points respectively. The Thunder shot an impressive 59% from the field and connected on 14 of 29 three-point attempts.
On the Pelicans side, Jonas Valanciunas led the scoring with 19 points, while Herb Jones and Brandon Ingram added 18 points each. New Orleans struggled without their star player Zion Williamson, who remained sidelined with a hamstring injury.
In a stark turnaround from the first game, the Thunder dominated the boards, outrebounding the Pelicans 37-35 and limiting their offensive rebounds to just eight. Oklahoma City capitalized on turnovers, scoring 22 points off 18 Pelicans’ giveaways.
With Game 3 set for Saturday in New Orleans, the Thunder will look to maintain their momentum and close out the series. The Pelicans will need to regroup and find a way to contain the Thunder’s potent offense to avoid falling into an insurmountable 3-0 hole.