The Thunder have survived.
Powered by a pair of 30-point performances and a late clutch bucket by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the Thunder won a 123-118 play-in thriller over the New Orleans Pelicans on Wednesday to advance to the second round of the play-in tournament. New Orleans saw its season come to a disappointing end on its home court.
The Pelicans opened up a 63-57 halftime lead, but the third quarter was all Oklahoma City. The Thunder scored 39 in the third to enter the fourth with a 96-87 edge. But the Pelicans didn’t back down. They went on a 7-0 run early in the fourth to cut their deficit to 98-96. A Josh Richardson transition dunk gave them a 101-100 lead with 8:00 remaining.
From there, the teams traded buckets as the lead repeatedly changed hands before a Shai Gilgeous-Alexander floater put the the Thunder up for good, 115-114 with 28.3 seconds remaining.
Brandon Ingram failed to answer with a missed jumper on the other end, and a pair of Josh Giddey free throws extended OKC’s lead to three. But Ingram gave New Orleans one last late hope.
Two Lu Dort free throws with seven seconds remaining extended the lead to 119-115 before Ingram cut the deficit to one with a quick 3 in transition.
But an errant pass out of bounds by Herbert Jones on an in-bounds play with 2.8 seconds left on the Pelicans next possession ensured that they were done.
Gilgeous-Alexander, fresh off his first season as an All-Star, continued his star turn with big plays throughout the night. He and Ingram battled in the game’s final minutes with Gilgeous-Alexander getting the best of the matchup.
Gilgeous-Alexander finished with a game-high 32 points alongside five rebounds, three assists and three steals. Giddey fell just short of a triple double with 31 points, 10 assists and nine rebounds. Dort added a season-high 27 points in the win.
Ingram countered with 30 points, seven assists and six rebounds for New Orleans. All five Pelicans starters scored in double figures as Trey Murphy scored 21 and Jones added 20 points five assists and five rebounds as his increased role in the New Orleans offense continued.
But it wasn’t enough for a Pelicans teams playing again without star forward Zion Williamson, who played just 29 games this season and has been sidelined since January with a hamstring strain. They’re left to regroup in the offseason and hope that Williamson can stay healthy as he enters the first season of a five-year, $193 million contract extension.
The Thunder advance to face the Timberwolves in Minnesota on Friday. The winner advances to the playoffs as the West’s No. 8 seed and a first-round matchup against the Denver Nuggets. The loser’s season will be done.