OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Just a few days ago, the Thunder showed that they were an inexperienced team, which made life difficult in their first playoff game with the current squad.
But on Wednesday, Oklahoma City looked like a group of veterans.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 33 points and the Thunder routed the New Orleans Pelicans 124-92 to take a 2-0 lead in the Western Conference first-round playoff series.
Gilgeous-Alexander said the Thunder stayed focused, rather than worrying about extraneous issues, such as the problems other top seeds have had at home in the playoffs.
“I think it just comes down to our priority being winning,” he said. “And everything else is a distraction that interferes with the goal of winning. Every night, the 15 of us go to bed and think about winning the next game, the next day. And we do everything we can to achieve it.”
Chet Holmgren had 26 points and seven rebounds, while Jalen Williams added 21 points for the Thunder, the top seed in the West, who shot 59% from the field and made 14 of 29 three-pointers.
Jonas Valanciunas scored 19 points and Herb Jones and Brandon Ingram each scored 18 for the Pelicans.
New Orleans continued to struggle on offense without top scorer Zion Williamson, who remained out with a strained left hamstring.
In the first game, Valanciunas grabbed 20 rebounds, including nine offensive ones, and the Pelicans outscored the Thunder 52-44. On Wednesday, Oklahoma City dominated New Orleans 37-35 and held the Pelicans to eight offensive boards.
The Thunder scored 22 points off 18 turnovers by the Pelicans.
Game 3 is scheduled for Saturday in New Orleans.
2024-04-25 05:26:00
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