Thunder vs. Pelicans
As the No. 1 team in the West, the Thunder team, who landed on the playoff stage, still did not disappoint the outside world in the current first-round series. After the first three games of the series, they were able to take the initiative to take a 3-0 lead, grabbing the corresponding match points, and it was only a matter of time before they advanced to the second round of the series. According to statistics, in the past three games, the Thunder not only has the league's No. 1 shooting percentage, but also ranks second in the league in three-point shooting. What's even more terrifying is that they can still rank first in the league in defensive efficiency.
It is no exaggeration to say that the Thunder has completed the super rise and has the strength to impact the championship trophy. And their opponent, the Pelicans, has been in a lot of trouble this season. The most distressing part of this period is that their champion Lang Zion, unfortunately suffered an injury in the play-offs, so that he had to miss the first-round series matchups one after another. In this G4 battle, the Pelicans continued to fight at home, but they still failed to stabilize the situation, allowing the Thunder to win the final victory with a total score of 97-89, thus advancing to the second round series 4-0.
Specific competition
In the first half, the two teams competed fiercely, and neither team allowed their opponents to take a lead of more than five points. In the first quarter of the game, Alexander played 12 minutes, delivering 6 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists and 1 block, and Williams also had 4 points, 3 rebounds and 1 steal, only helping the team to play a 21-21 score. Entering the second quarter of the matchup, Williams stepped up, shooting 4 of 6 and 1 of 1 free throws, delivering 9 points and 2 rebounds, and Holmgren also had 4 points, 3 rebounds and 2 assists, successfully helping the team to a 23-22 score.
Yibian fought again, and the Pelicans, who were behind in the score, could also launch a corresponding counterattack. In the third quarter of the game, Ingram still delivered 5 assists despite his poor shooting rate, McCollum also contributed 7 points, 1 rebound and 1 assist, as well as Valanciunas who handed over 6 points and 1 rebound, and Jones who scored 7 points, successfully helped the team play a score of 28-26 and achieve a one-point overtake. Entering the final quarter of the decisive game, Williams of the Thunder continued to exert his power, shooting 3-of-6 from the field and 3-of-4 from the free-throw line, giving up 11 points, 2 rebounds and 1 steal, helping the team to a 25-14 score and a total score of 97-89 to achieve the final victory.
epilogue
Looking at the data of the game, the Thunder team completed the final reversal, or thanks to the successive power of the starters. According to statistics, five players on their team scored in double figures, and all of them were starters. During this period, Alexander played 40.5 minutes and delivered a double-double of 24 points, 10 rebounds and 3 assists, Williams also contributed 24 points, 8 rebounds and 4 assists, and Holmgren handed over 14 points, 9 rebounds and 6 assists. In addition, Giddey also made 4 of 6 three-pointers, delivered 14 points, 3 rebounds and 1 assist, and Dort, who handed over 11 points, 8 rebounds and 3 assists.
On the other hand, the Pelicans, who lost at home and went out early, should also start preparing for the offseason. Ingram pulled his hips in this game, playing nearly 39 minutes in a single game, 0 of 3 three-pointers, 2 of 14 shots, and only 8 points, 4 rebounds and 6 assists. Although McCollum had 20 points, 6 rebounds and 2 assists, Murphy III also handed over 7 points, 11 rebounds and 3 assists, and Valanzius who handed over 19 points and 13 rebounds, he could only helplessly enter the empty slashing group.