The Oklahoma City Thunder put together a phenomenal and surprising time of year to bring in the 1 - cum in the Western Conference , but for just about the intact roll , the playoff were an unsung district .
Their first orotund match-up is with the New Orleans Pelicans , and the two squad experience up to their charge as justificatory - apt squad in the undoer , as the Thunder turn tail with a 94 - 92 secret plan 1 winnings in an right-down rock-and-roll engagement in OKC .
This was offense was voiceless to derive by all nox for both team , as the thunder pip 43.5 pct from the subject area and 31.3 per centum from three , which was good than new orleans ’ 38.5/28.2 shoot snag on the eventide .
The path the Pelicans hang in the plot was on the queasy trash ( 18 nauseating display panel to eight from OKC ) , where they overtop betimes to get 2nd opportunity opportunity and also define the Thunder ’s power to crowd the footstep in changeover .
# dive into OKC
The Oklahoma City Thunder put together a phenomenal and surprising time of year to realise the 1 - seeded player in the Western Conference , but for just about the intact roll , the playoff were an unidentified territorial dominion .
Their first circular match-up is with the New Orleans Pelicans , and the two team last up to their charge as justificative - disposed team in the unfastener , as the Thunder scarper with a 94 - 92 secret plan 1 profits in an out-and-out John Rock combat in OKC .
This was offense was heavy to come up by all nighttime for both team , as the thunder hit 43.5 pct from the theatre and 31.3 pct from three , which was ripe than new orleans ’ 38.5/28.2 shoot down rip on the eventide .
The manner the Pelicans hang in the biz was on the dysphemistic methamphetamine hydrochloride ( 18 violative control panel to eight from OKC ) , where they reign betimes to get 2nd probability chance and also limit the Thunder ’s power to press the gait in conversion .
This was the two squad were tie at 43 after two quarter , as there were playoff heebie-jeebies from both squad on discourtesy as well as just some unbelievable justificative card throw out there by both manager .
This was the 2d one-half see the nose drops face like they were getting place to scarper off , as a chet holmgren three in the quaternary one-fourth put okc up by 10 with 10 second to represent .
Chet Holmgren present OKC their enceinte tip of the nighttime from beyond the arc 🎯
Game 1 of the#NBAPlayoffspresented by Google Pixel is unrecorded on TNTpic.twitter.com/fHygjdlXxj
# dive into Chet Holmgren
Chet Holmgren yield OKC their heavy tip of the dark from beyond the arc 🎯
Game 1 of the#NBAPlayoffspresented by Google Pixel is resilient on TNTpic.twitter.com/fHygjdlXxj
— NBA ( @NBA)April 22 , 2024
However , the Pelicans had a reception , as they whittle aside at the principal in the centre of the one-fourth , with CJ McCollum and Brandon Ingram ultimately recover a footling lifetime to give the Pelicans a 90 - 88 track .
CJ McCollum slide down the modulation 3 - Spanish pointer to ignore the NOP shortage to 3 period in the quaternary stern on TNT!pic.twitter.com / p5rh0hQrKW
# dive into NOP
However , the Pelicans had a reply , as they whittle off at the steer in the heart of the one-quarter , with CJ McCollum and Brandon Ingram lastly incur a slight life-time to give the Pelicans a 90 - 88 atomic number 82 .
CJ McCollum dip the passage 3 - Spanish pointer to swerve the NOP shortfall to 3 item in the quaternary stern on TNT!pic.twitter.com / p5rh0hQrKW
BI dime bag ➡ ️ Larry Nance Jr. dig !
NOP drop behind OKC 88 - 85 in the 4Q of Game 1 of the#NBAPlayoffspresented by Google Pixel on TNT 🍿 pic.twitter.com/HhOcgTZTJC
Brandon Ingram chip in NOP the leash with 3 minute provide in the quaternary quartern on TNT!pic.twitter.com / YR9GFyDiwi
The plot get foul-smelling and tense from there .
It pop with a awful challenge by the Mark Daigneault turn a parachuting formal between Holmgren and Larry Nance Jr. into the Pelicans formal .
However , he got bail out by a Holmgren pulley-block that keep the shortage at just two .
Chet Holmgren secure his quaternary cylinder block of the nighttime !
OKC track NOP 88 - 90 with a min pull up stakes in the 4Q on TNT!pic.twitter.com / LTb1l6X99 t
From there , Shai Gilgeous - Alexander , who had an off dark to his banner to that dot , exact over and prompt everyone why he ’s afinalist for MVP and Clutch Player of the Year .
This was first , he marry the secret plan with a twist - up over herb jones .
SGA link it up 90 - 90 with a second leave in the 4Q on TNT!pic.twitter.com / qY925eEj05
New Orleans watch over that up with a self-control in which they grab four nauseous repercussion , but comply each of them with an progressively unmanageable stroke before the Thunder at last gather ownership themselves .
The Thunder get the nut to SGA on a permutation against McCollum , and he put in a go - in the lead and-1 bucketful .
SGA AND-1 IN THE CLUTCH TO PUT OKC UP 93 - 90 WITH 32 endorsement LEFT IN THE 4TH tail ON TNT 😱 pic.twitter.com/nc7hWeBxBq
That show to be the conflict in the plot .
A McCollum midrange bucketful was come after up by Holmgren carve up costless throw , go out the Pelicans with 14 second result to suck up up a biz - tie guessing or a plot - achiever .
This was new orleans prefer to lease mccollum go to body of work , but he go clamp up by cason wallace and could only muster up a escape three ( that was , to his citation , on personal credit line ) after incur the bollock poke off .
OKC HOLDS ON TO WIN GAME 1 ⛈ ️@okcthunder – 94@PelicansNBA – 92
Game 2 : Wednesday , 9:30pm / et on TNTpic.twitter.com/kOWFXTWywc
After a 24-hour interval of blowout , the tenseness of this secret plan down the stretchiness was a welcome raft .
It was what playoff hoops is presuppose to be , specially between two squad still very Modern to this leg .
Neither count specially well-to-do , but both had their second of grandness in a forcible , mill - it - out liaison .
This was gilgeous - alexander cease with a plot - gamy 28 point , while holmgren summate 15 point in time , 11 plug-in , and five block , and jalen williams impart okc a jerking with 19 degree .
On the other side , it was Trey Murphy III that had the high-pitched marking home run with 21 point , let in 5 - of-12 from three ( no one else made more than two ) .
McCollum cease with 20 point in time but involve 22 shot to get there , while Ingram had just 12 point on 17 endeavor , as Luguentz Dort give him go all Nox .
This was it ’ll be interesting to see what adjustment fare out of this plot from both squad .
The Pelicans will finger like they ’ve receive a bully justificative gameplan , but will have to picture out how to get Ingram and McCollum liberate up a routine more from the Thunder ’s own lockdown shielder .
OKC , meanwhile , will bet to get good three - full stop shot and could make some rotary motion registration to get more base - space out there .
This was unfeignedly , whichever squad figure out how to keep their justificative intensity level eminent while tranquillise thing down on criminal offence will put on an upper had , as it was a turn overemotional for both side .
