On April 25, Beijing time, the second game of the first round of the NBA playoffs continued. The Oklahoma City Thunder host the New Orleans Pelicans.
The Pelicans, who didn't have Zion in the last game, pushed the Thunder into danger, and the Thunder didn't win until the final minute with a thrilling back-up from Alexander.
As a result, netizens and the media began to watch the Thunder jokes, thinking that they were no more than capable of reaching the intensity of the playoffs. Based on the above background, everyone predicts that the inexperienced youth army will not be able to go far in the playoffs, and they will be blacked out if they don't do well.
In the first quarter of the game, the Thunder made a dream start at 35:22. In the second quarter, the Pelicans boosted their morale and fought the Thunder for a quarter. In the second half, the Pelicans failed to build a comeback, and the Thunder directly brought the game into garbage time.
In the end, the Thunder defeated the Pelicans 124-92, leading 2-0, defending their first two home courts, and also defending the dignity of the first place in the West.
The Pelicans had five double-doubles, with Valanciunas scoring 19 points and seven rebounds, while Ingram and Jones each scored 18 points. However, they shot extremely inefficiently in this game, especially shooting only 26.9% from three-point range.
Alexander of the Thunder returned to his position, scoring 33 points, 5 assists and 2 steals on 13-of-19 shooting, Chet chipped in 26 points and 7 boards, and Jalen Williams contributed 21 points, 5 rebounds and 7 assists. These three have a combined plus/minus of +86 and are the biggest contributors to the victory.
In the post-game interview, Chet grabbed McTon and praised his teammate Alexander. Chet said Alexander was too reserved, and that he was the league's MVP, but he wouldn't say it himself. Alexander looked a little embarrassed when he heard it.
The magic weapon of the Thunder's victory today is offensive efficiency and turnover control. In this game, they shot 59% from the field and 48.3% from three-point range.
So, the first race doesn't mean much. The last narrow victory was just an accident, the strength of the Thunder is there, and a big victory for the Pelicans should be the norm. After this game, I believe that no one will question our ability anymore, right?