In the second half, the Thunder and Pelicans play-in game boiled down to the very essence of postseason basketball: Can your best player get buckets going against our best defender?
Thunder All-Star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had to go against the Pelicans’ Herb Jones, and SGA scored 25 of his 32 points in the second half, including a go-ahead baseline jumper (plus hitting clutch free throws). Gilgeous-Alexander figured Jones out.
The Pelicans’ Brandon Ingram was matchup up on Lu Dort and scored 20 of his 30 points in the second half, and drained a 3-pointer in the game’s final five seconds to keep hope of a Pelicans comeback alive. Ingram went and got his team buckets.
The difference ended up being Gilgeous-Alexander got more help. Josh Giddey scored 31 points with 10 assists and nine rebounds for Oklahoma City. Dort added 25 points.
That was enough to lift the Thunder to a 123-118 win. With that victory, Oklahoma City now travels to Minnesota for a Friday night win-or-go-home game against the Timberwolves for the No.8 seed in the West (and the right to meet top-seeded Denver in the first round).
The loss eliminated the Pelicans, who look incredibly dangerous when Zion Williamson, Ingram and CJ McCollum play. However, Zion played in only 29 games this season — and missed this play-in game — primarily due to a strained hamstring, while Ingram played in just 45 games due to injuries. The Pelicans were 7-5 in the dozen games that Ingram and Zion played together this season, but none of those games happened after Nov. 25.
The Thunder have been seen as a team of the future — they add No.2 pick Chet Holmgren next season, and if they fall to the Timberwolves on Friday they will have another lottery pick this season (and as many as four first-round picks in 2024).
But with Gilgeous-Alexander leading the way, they are also a team of right now. One with a chance to go to the playoffs.
Check out more on the Thunder
NBA playoffs first round schedule dates, times, where to watch Three things to watch, play-in edition: Thunder at Pelicans 2023 PBT Awards: Paolo Banchero for Rookie of the Year
Gilgeous-Alexander outduels Ingram and gets more help, Thunder eliminate Pelicans originally appeared on NBCSports.com
