Thunder-Pelicans: 5 takeaways as Oklahoma Metropolis rolls in Sport 2 – NBA.com

Chet Holmgren goes toe-to-toe with Jonas Valanciunas and Oklahoma Metropolis fixes its rebounding points within the Sport 2 rout.
Michael C. Wright
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's 33 helps Thunder cruise in Sport 2
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OKLAHOMA CITY — One signal that it was Oklahoma Metropolis’s night time emerged within the first half, when a fan splashed a half-court shot to fatten his pockets with $20,000, courtesy of MidFirst Financial institution.
The bucket marked the second made $20,000 shot in two postseason video games right here at Paycom Heart. So, it’s no shock the Thunder proved to be cash Wednesday in cashing a 124-92 victory over New Orleans in Sport 2 of the opening spherical of the Western Convention playoffs.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored a postseason career-high 33 factors, and rookie Chet Holmgren added 26 to assist OKC hand the Pelicans their second-most lopsided lack of the season behind the 133-89 debacle suffered on the In-Season Event. The win marked the Thunder’s third in a row over New Orleans.
Listed below are 5 takeaways from the matchup:
1. Jonas Valanciunas’ quick begin fizzles
Valanciunas bludgeoned OKC within the paint all through Sport 1.
So, why not enhance the dosage to start out Sport 2?
Valanciunas attacked laborious early, reeling off New Orleans’ first 11 points, imposing heightened physicality in opposition to Holmgren, who appeared unfazed. Taking a feed inside from Herbert Jones on the Pelicans’ first possession, Valanciunas spun past Holmgren for a reverse layup to start out the sport.
Fouled by Jalen Williams on the play, Valanciunas swished the free throw.
Valanciunas was 5-for-6 to start out, however early success proved fleeting with the Thunder outscoring New Orleans 23-8 to shut the quarter. OKC pulled away on the energy of seven 3-pointers and scored eight factors off turnovers.
Valanciunas produced a team-high 15 factors within the first half with 5 rebounds however would add simply 4 extra factors your entire second half.
New Orleans’ early strategy made sense, however OKC’s 3-point taking pictures made it unattainable for the Pelicans to maintain up. The Pels shot 7-for-26 from 3-point vary to run its four-game postseason complete (when you depend the Play-In Event) to 34-for-114.
This from a staff that made 49.6% from deep within the final three video games of the common season.
2. Chet Holmgren begins quicker, maintains the momentum
Chet Holmgren's versatility leads Thunder's Sport 2 assault
Valanciunas’ early physicality maybe solely stoked Holmgren’s aggressive fireplace as a result of the rookie lit up New Orleans for 15 factors on 5-for-5 taking pictures within the first quarter regardless of all of the pushing and shoving within the paint.
Repeated Valanciunas elbows and shoulders into the chest lifted Holmgren off his ft little by little, scooting the rookie underneath the ring whereas the Pelicans vet backed in like a dump truck. As soon as there, Valanciunas discovered principally misses.
The Pelicans middle was 1-for-3 in the second quarter and Holmgren swatted away a type of pictures after that preliminary 5-for-7 onslaught.
Holmgren didn’t wilt and established himself in the first quarter, too. He was 3-for-3 on 3-pointers and 2-for-2 from the road, including two rebounds and an help.
Holmgren and Gilgeous-Alexander mixed within the first half for 36 factors on 14-for-21 taking pictures. Holmgren poured in a game-high 20 points over that span as OKC shot 59.5% total and 55.6% on 3-pointers.
OKC’s 63-50 lead at intermission may’ve been even bigger contemplating New Orleans’ prime offensive weapon — Brandon Ingram — completed the half with extra turnovers (three) than subject aim makes an attempt (two).
Ingram has scored lower than 20 factors in 4 of his final 5 video games since returning April 14 from a knee harm.
3. OKC improves rebounding points
Oklahoma Metropolis rebounded majorly from a subpar night time on the glass in Sport 1.
The Pels outrebounded the Thunder 52-44 on Sunday, seizing an 18-8 edge on the offensive glass, which led to them outscoring OKC 24-11 in second-chance factors. Keep in mind, Valanciunas tallied extra rebounds than your entire OKC roster.
This time, although, the Thunder wolfed up 37 boards in comparison with New Orleans’ 35. Not an enormous win in that division, however a greater efficiency than in Sport 1.
OKC held a 9-8 edge Wednesday in second-chance scoring, and Holmgren tied Valanciunas for the game-high in rebounds (seven).
The Thunder usually sacrifice dimension and rebounding for pace and transition scoring. The latter is the place OKC excelled on this matchup, outscoring New Orleans 14-6 on the break. The Thunder additionally scored 22 factors off the Pelicans’ 17 turnovers.
New Orleans completed the sport with extra turnovers than assists (16).
4. Zion Williamson supplies an replace
Injured star Zion Williamson addressed the media Tuesday after a exercise at Paycom Heart, calling his prospects for returning throughout these playoffs “completely life like.”
Williamson strained his left hamstring eight days in the past within the membership’s loss within the SoFi Play-In Event to the Los Angeles Lakers. The previous No. 1 total choose sat out of New Orleans’ second Play-In recreation in opposition to Sacramento on Friday and missed Sport 1 at OKC.
The staff introduced after the most recent setback that Williamson can be reexamined in roughly two weeks.
He seemed to be in good spirits Tuesday after observe and defined he’ll have to cross numerous exams all through a return-to-play protocol earlier than he can rejoin teammates on the ground.
Requested concerning the environment at Paycom Heart for Sport 1, Williamson cracked an uneasy smile and shook his head in remorse for lacking an opportunity to compete in his first profession playoff recreation.
“Man, I actually love hooping. So, it was bittersweet for me,” he mentioned. “The entire time I simply saved envisioning myself on the market, my influence on the sport. On the identical time, I needed to put apart my private emotions and be there for my teammates. The power was nice. OKC’s followers actually got here out.”
5. Power in numbers?
Corridor of Famer Pat Riley famously described in two sentences his philosophy for teaching playoff basketball.
“You rotate eight gamers,” he mentioned. “You play seven, you employ six and also you belief 5.”
Daigneault flipped that concept on its head by means of the primary two video games of this collection. The Thunder coach deployed 11 gamers in Sport 1 with 10 of them pulling down at the very least one subject aim and 7 scoring at the very least one 3-pointer.
In Sport 2, Daigneault used 13 gamers (two logged garbage-time minutes) and eight contributed at the very least one subject aim.
Within the first quarter alone on Wednesday, OKC performed a complete of 9 with six making at the very least one subject aim. The Thunder entered intermission having used 10 gamers with seven hitting at the very least one subject aim.
Since we’re speaking numbers, New Orleans’ loss to OKC marked the third 30-point loss in Pelicans playoff historical past. It was the worst margin of defeat within the postseason since 2009.
New Orleans has scored 92 factors in every of the primary two video games of this collection.
OKC, in the meantime, is now 14-0 this season when it holds an opponent to fewer than 100 factors.
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Michael C. Wright is a senior author for NBA.com. You’ll be able to e-mail him here, discover his archive here and observe him on X.
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