Recreation 1 of the sequence between the Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder and the New Orleans Pelicans served as Oklahoma Metropolis’s return to postseason basketball. On Wednesday night time, the Thunder used Recreation 2 of their first spherical sequence to do one thing else: Emphatically announce to any doubters that they’ve arrived, and whereas they’re younger, they’re able to compete for a championship proper now.
Oklahoma Metropolis ran New Orleans out of the health club in Recreation 2. Because of the newest MVP-caliber effort by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and a monster night time from Chet Holmgren, the Thunder dominated on each ends of the ground en path to a 124-92 win.
Early on within the recreation, Oklahoma Metropolis made clear that they weren’t going to fiddle. Whereas the opening minutes have been tight, the Thunder ended the primary on a 17-6 run to take a 13-point lead. A lot of the remainder of the sport was spent with New Orleans trailing by double-figures, as Oklahoma Metropolis blended being scorching scorching from the sphere with a degree of defensive depth that they’ve confirmed off all through their ascendant 2023-24 marketing campaign.
Gilgeous-Alexander was his traditional sensible self, as he had a profession postseason excessive 33 factors on an environment friendly 13-for-19 from the sphere with 5 assists, three rebounds, and two steals in 35 minutes. He was deputized in an enormous method by Holmgren, who had 26 factors and 7 boards whereas serving as a deterrent on the rim at any time when the Pelicans needed to assault.
No member of Oklahoma Metropolis’s beginning 5 scored fewer than 13 factors, and as a crew, the Thunder shot 46-for-78 (59 %) from the sphere and 14-for-29 (48.3 %) from behind the three-point line. And after the sport, numerous gamers got here collectively as Gilgeous-Alexander gave a postgame interview to Allie LaForce of TNT, with Holmgren grabbing the mic and making clear that the league MVP resides in Oklahoma Metropolis.
As for the Pelicans, it was typically an evening to neglect. Jonas Valanciunas led the way in which with 19 factors and 7 rebounds, whereas Brandon Ingram and Herbert Jones each went for 18 factors. The crew solely linked on seven of its 26 makes an attempt from three.
Recreation 3 between these two groups will happen on Saturday afternoon in New Orleans, which is able to mark the primary time that the sequence will transfer to the Smoothie King Heart. The sport is scheduled to tip off at 3:30 p.m. EST on TNT.