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Andrew Lopez, ESPN
OKLAHOMA CITY — Coming into the playoffs, the Thunder had been the youngest NBA workforce to safe a No. 1 seed since seeding started in 1984.
After lacking the playoffs the previous three seasons and dealing on a rebuild, the Thunder’s reward as the highest seed within the sturdy Western Convention was dealing with the 49-win New Orleans Pelicans, who needed to combat by means of the play-in match but additionally boasted a league-best report on the street.
Seven of the 11 Thunder gamers who took the ground Sunday evening had been competing of their first playoff sport. The relative inexperience confirmed itself at occasions within the fourth quarter, however the workforce additionally got here by means of when it most wanted to.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander put the Thunder up on a three-point play with 32.5 seconds remaining in regulation, whereas rookies Chet Holmgren and Cason Wallace got here up with massive defensive performs to assist Oklahoma Metropolis safe a 94-92 win in Recreation 1 of the first-round playoff collection.
“All people that got here in performed their position,” Gilgeous-Alexander stated. “They gave good minutes. All 11 guys did their half, and that is the rationale why we received tonight.”
After Gilgeous-Alexander tied the rating at 90 with 1:36 to go, the Pelicans’ ensuing possession featured 4 shot makes an attempt and three offensive rebounds — however no factors, thanks to 1 ultimate cease by Holmgren.
Pelicans heart Larry Nance Jr. rolled to the rim and tried to get a shot over the outstretched arms of Holmgren, however the rookie met the ball at its apex to report his fifth block of the evening.
“I used to be simply attempting to make a play,” Holmgren stated. “I did not need to go away issues within the palms of the opposite workforce, so I used to be attempting to go up and make a play, whether or not I used to be going to be late and it was going to be a goaltend or not.”
It was on the following possession that Gilgeous-Alexander gave the Thunder the lead for good.
The Pelicans answered with a fast basket on their subsequent possession, and Holmgren then hit considered one of two free throws to make it a two-point sport.
With 14 seconds left, the Pelicans bought the ball to CJ McCollum, and Wallace was switched on to him. McCollum misplaced the ball at first however was capable of get it again; he then stepped by means of Wallace’s block try and let a shot go that seemed on line however hit the again of the rim.
“I believed it was money, and I missed it lengthy,” McCollum stated. “However the sport should not have come right down to that.”
Each groups struggled to get going offensively early on. The sport was tied at 17 after the primary quarter and at 43 at halftime.
It was nonetheless essentially the most hotly contested sport of the NBA playoff weekend. There have been 20 lead adjustments as in comparison with 19 lead adjustments within the different seven video games mixed.
New Orleans took a 90-88 lead — the nineteenth of the sport — with 3:34 to go on a layup by Brandon Ingram however did not rating once more till there have been 26.5 seconds remaining. The Pelicans went 1-of-7 within the ultimate 3:09 with 4 turnovers.
Oklahoma Metropolis held New Orleans to 38.5% capturing, and the Pelicans went simply 1-of-15 on nook 3-pointers.
It was a formidable begin for the No. 1 seed, however Thunder coach Mark Daigneault is aware of it is only the start.
“I simply instructed the workforce, and I believe it is true, these collection are lengthy,” Daigneault stated. “You must enhance by means of the collection, and that is our problem now. We bought to observe the movie, study from it and be a greater workforce on Wednesday than we had been tonight.”
