OKLAHOMA CITY — As Shai Gilgeous-Alexander checked out of the game with a little more than three minutes left, the MVP candidate received thunderous cheers on his way to the bench. possessing a game-high 34-point lead, for their dominating Game 2 efforts.
The Oklahoma City Thunder were in full control of Game 2 against New Orleans Pelicans, leading by 34 points as Gilgeous-Alexander exited the floor. OKC cruised to a 124-92 win and a 2-0 lead in its first-round series of the 2024 NBA playoffs.
“I thought we had great recognition of how we needed to attack tonight when they played their based stuff,” Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault said on the playoff win. “When they went small, they played zone. We were prepared for both of those things at some point in this series. … Really good 48-minute execution out of the team.”
The start of the contest looked far different. The Pelicans kept feeding the ball to Jonas Valaciunas as they built a 14-12 lead four minutes into the contest. The Thunder couldn’t make stops. Then OKC flipped a switch and closed the opening quarter on a 23-8 run to create a 35-22 lead. Both squads exchanged baskets in the second frame, and the Thunder entered halftime with a 63-50 advantage.
In the opening minutes of the third frame, the Thunder went on a 16-6 run to push their lead to 22 points. OKC entered the fourth quarter with an overwhelming 92-74 lead. It was a stark contrast to Game 1’s 94-point total for the Thunder.
The Thunder enjoyed a stress-free fourth quarter and cleared the bench. Thirteen players saw action, totaling at least three minutes each.
The Thunder shot 59% from the field and went 14-of-29 (48.3%) from 3. They went 18-of-20 from the free-throw line. They dished 25 assists on 46 baskets. All five Thunder starters scored double-digit points and were a plus-24 or better.
Gilgeous-Alexander had 33 points on an efficient 19 shots. Chet Holmgren had 26 points and seven rebounds. Jalen Williams finished with 21 points and seven assists. Josh Giddey had 13 points and six rebounds. Lu Dort scored 15 points and played stellar defense.
Meanwhile, the Pelicans once again struggled to generate points without Zion Williamson. They shot 45% from the field and went 7-of-26 (26.9%) from 3. They went 19-of-21 from the free-throw line. They had 16 assists on 33 baskets. Five Pelicans players scored double-digit points.
Brandon Ingram was limited to 18 points on 5-of-10 shooting and four rebounds. Valanciunas had 19 points on 8-of-14 shooting and seven rebounds, including a quick 11 points in the opening minutes. Herb Jones had 18 points. C.J. McCollum was held to 15 points on 6-of-14 shooting.
After two home games, the first-seeded Thunder took care of business against a hobbled eighth seed. Both wins swing the odds toward OKC to move past this series.
“This is a good team that’s going to go back to the drawing board,” Daigneault said about the Pelicans. “They’re going home, they’re gonna gain confidence with that. They’re gonna play with great energy. We’ve got to continue to improve our attacks and improve our force.”
Let’s look at Thunder player grades.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander: A-plus
After an uncharacteristic inefficient Game 1, Gilgeous-Alexander returned to his MVP form against the Pelicans in Game 2 with a highly efficient 30-point outing.
In 35 minutes, Gilgeous-Alexander finished with 33 points on 13-of-19 shooting, five assists and three rebounds. He shot 3-of-5 from 3 and went 4-of-4 from the free-throw line. He finished a plus-24.
The shot-making was breathtaking by Gilgeous-Alexander. He found seams in tight spaces against the teeth of the Pelicans’ defense. The drives to the basket resulted in points and the midrange shot was in rhythm for the 25-year-old.
Gilgeous-Alexander had a hot start with 16 points in the first half. To put this game away, he had a monster third frame with 12 points. After Jones has historically done a nice job of limiting him, the MVP candidate had no issue finding his spots and using his footwork to get off shots.
“We prioritize winning,” Gilgeous-Alexander said on their competitiveness. “That’s something we try to do every night every time we step on the floor. It’s all 15-16, however many guys on the roster.”
In his postgame interview, Holmgren grabbed the mic and proclaimed Gilgeous-Alexander MVP. The seven-footer said the 25-year-old was too humble to say so himself, so he did it for him. When asked about that moment, Gilgeous-Alexander said he possesses quiet confidence.
“I’m humble but cocky in my own way,” Gilgeous-Alexander said.
Chet Holmgren: A-plus
Holmgren’s second playoff game started the same way his first one did — with a trailing 3-pointer for OKC’s opening bucket. This time though, the hot shooting continued throughout the first quarter.
Holmgren went point-for-point with Valanciunas as the starting centers were responsible for most of their respective teams’ offense at the start. He totaled 15 points on 5-of-5 shooting in the opening quarter, which included three 3-pointers.
“In the first game, I hit my first one and then threw up like four bricks after that,” Holmgren said. “So I just wanted to come out ready tonight to make my shots and capitalize on advantages that we have out there. And I did a good job of that early.”
In 29 minutes, Holmgren had 26 points on 9-of-13 shooting, seven rebounds and two blocks. He shot 3-of-6 from 3 and went 5-of-6 from the free-throw line. He was a plus-32.
“I thought he just had great recognition and a great feel for how they were covering him and what he needed to do to kinda free us up and free himself up,” Daigneault said about Holmgren.
Gilgeous-Alexander added: “He was really good. He was in actions, got out of them. Put their defense in a bind almost all night. He was making shots, putting it down. He was A-plus tonight for sure.”
It was a stellar performance by the 21-year-old, who’s enjoyed the extra downtime between playoff games after toughing out a full 82-game campaign. He limited Valanciunas after the first quarter and the Pelicans failed to put up points.
“He’s a good player and he’s confident in his ability and they’re going to him in the post,” Holmgren said on his matchup with Valanciunas. “Trying to make some plays down there. It’s my job to make those plays as tough as possible. … It’ll work out in our favor if I do my job.”
Jalen Williams: A-plus
Poking the ball out of McCollum, Williams created a steal and was immediately fouled as the 32-year-old tried to recover from the turnover. He stayed on the ground for a moment as he yelled his lungs out with the crowd barking back at him.
Through two home playoff games, it’s clear Williams has been the emotional leader for the Thunder. Each time he does anything positive, the crowd barks in unison. In Game 2, most of the crowd went home hoarse because of this.
“It’s so loud now, I can’t even really hear anything,” Williams said on OKC’s playoff atmosphere. “During the game, I kinda zone out. There’s definitely points in the game, where even if you’re locked in, you feel it. You kinda get goosebumps while you’re playing.”
In 35 minutes, Williams finished with 21 points on 10-of-17 shooting, seven assists and five rebounds. He shot 1-of-3 from 3 and was a plus-30.
A 15-point second half by Williams helped blow this open for the Thunder. He was busy in traffic with an 8-of-12 night inside the paint. The 23-year-old navigated through the interior with the ball and was excellent at creating open looks with his off-ball movement.
This was a monster performance by the second-year wing. Williams helped round out a statement outing for OKC’s trio. The first of likely many with the Thunder.
“Just gotta take what the game gives you,” Williams said on his playmaking. “Especially in the playoffs. Everybody is focused on every detail. Guys know your plays. You kinda got to take what’s there, not really force anything.”
Lu Dort: A-plus
Shadowing Ingram, Dort made the one-time All-Star’s life on the court difficult. Through two games, Ingram has struggled with 15 points on 37% shooting.
Dort deserves a huge portion of the credit for blanketing Ingram by hounding him in their matchups. He refused to allow him to switch off by going over screens with his bulky build. The 25-year-old starter also contributed on the other side with a hot outside shooting night.
In 31 minutes, Dort finished with 15 points on 4-of-8 shooting and two assists. He shot 4-of-6 from 3 and went 3-of-4 from the free-throw line. He was a plus-24.
If Williamson misses the entire series, the Thunder can continue to deploy Dort against Ingram. New Orleans doesn’t have anybody else on its roster who’s healthy and can get his own shot consistently enough to force OKC to rethink its strategy.
“Lu was on him,” Daigneault said about Dort’s defense on Ingram. “He was on his body early. Physical with him without fouling. Made him earn everything again.”
