A couple of days in the past, the Oklahoma City Thunder gave the impression to be a younger staff navigating their first playoff collection collectively.
However, by Wednesday evening, they resembled seasoned playoff veterans.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 33 factors because the top-seeded Thunder defeated the New Orleans Pelicans 124-92, taking a commanding 2-0 lead of their first-round Western Conference playoff collection.
Gilgeous-Alexander emphasised the staff’s unwavering focus, avoiding distractions resembling different high-seeded groups struggling at dwelling.
“I think it just goes back to us prioritizing winning,” he mentioned. “And all those things are distractions that get in the way of winning. Every night, all 15 of us go to bed and want to win the next game the next day. And we do everything we can to do so.”
Chet Holmgren scored 26 factors with seven rebounds, and Jalen Williams added 21 factors for the Thunder, who shot 59% from the sphere and made 14 of 29 3-pointers.
Jonas Valanciunas scored 19 factors, whereas Herb Jones and Brandon Ingram every added 18 for the Pelicans.
In Game 1, Valanciunas had 20 rebounds, together with 9 offensive, because the Pelicans outrebounded the Thunder 52-44. However, on Wednesday, Oklahoma City outrebounded New Orleans 37-35 and restricted the Pelicans to eight offensive boards.
The Pelicans struggled on offense with out high scorer Zion Williamson, who remained out with a strained left hamstring. Ingram, New Orleans’ No. 2 scorer within the common season, tried simply 10 photographs in Game 2 as Oklahoma City’s Lu Dort harassed him all through the evening. Ingram made solely 5 of 17 subject targets in Game 1.
The Thunder additionally capitalized on New Orleans’ errors, scoring 22 factors off the Pelicans’ 18 turnovers.
Game 3 is scheduled for Saturday in New Orleans.
“Now, the challenge is to continue to grow, learn, and improve with the series because the Pelicans are going to improve,” Thunder coach Mark Daigneault mentioned. “They’re a good team that’s going home and they’re well-coached. They’re going to get better. So, we have to continue to get better.”
The tempo of Wednesday’s recreation was considerably sooner than Sunday’s matchup, which Oklahoma City gained 94-92. The Thunder, who averaged 120.1 factors within the common season, appeared way more snug with the elevated tempo.
“In the first game, I thought both teams were kind of calibrating,” Daigneault mentioned. “And tonight, we had much quicker recognition of the way they were guarding us, where we wanted to attack, and we got to those things pretty well.”
Valanciunas scored 11 factors within the first three minutes, however Holmgren countered with 13 factors in seven minutes of first-quarter motion.
Gilgeous-Alexander picked up the place Holmgren left off. He did not rating for the primary 9 minutes however then scored seven within the closing three minutes of the quarter to assist the Thunder take a 35-22 lead. Holmgren’s 15 factors had been essentially the most by a Thunder rookie in any quarter of a playoff recreation.
“I thought they turned up the pressure offensively,” Pelicans coach Willie Green mentioned. They acquired some early 3s, and that opened the floodgates for them.”
Oklahoma City led 63-50 at halftime. Holmgren scored 20 factors, and Gilgeous-Alexander added 16 earlier than the break.
The Thunder prolonged their result in 92-74 on the finish of the third, and Gilgeous-Alexander and Holmgren went to the bench for good. The Thunder led 120-86 within the fourth quarter.
“It was a tough one for us,” Green mentioned. Give them credit score; they took care of dwelling court docket. It was a dominant win for them. So we’ll get dwelling, regroup, and get again after it.”
Source: www.dailysabah.com
