Thunder cruise past Pelicans for 3-0 first-round series lead

Field Level Media|published: Sat 27th April, 18:06 2024

Apr 27, 2024; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder Guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) goes up for a shot against the New Orleans Pelicans during the first quarter of game three of the first round for the 2024 NBA playoffs at Smoothie King Center. credits: Matt Bush-USA TODAY Sports

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 24 points and the visiting Oklahoma City Thunder took a 3-0 series lead by routing the New Orleans Pelicans 106-85 on Saturday afternoon.

Josh Giddey and Jalen Williams added 21 points each and Luguentz Dort had 12 for the No. 1 seed Thunder, who will try to complete a sweep of the Western Conference first-round series Monday night in New Orleans.

OKC, which won Game 2 by 32 points after a two-point win in the opener, took the lead for good in the first quarter against the cold-shooting eighth-seeded Pelicans.

Brandon Ingram scored 19 points, CJ McCollum had 16, Herb Jones added 15 and Trey Murphy III 10. New Orleans' offense continued to struggle in the absence of injured leading scorer Zion Williamson and the Pelicans fell short of the 92 points they scored in each of the first two losses, shooting just 38.1 percent from the floor and 28.1 percent on 3-pointers.

Ingram made a jumper and McCollum followed with a 3-pointer to start the third-quarter scoring and pull the Pelicans within nine points.

But Chet Holmgrem, Dort and Giddey each made a 3-pointer to push the lead to 69-53. McCollum twice made a basket to trim the lead to 10 points, but the Thunder made three 3-pointers to extend the lead to 85-69 at the end of the third quarter.

OKC scored the first seven points of the fourth quarter to push the lead to 23 as New Orleans didn't score until nearly four minutes had elapsed.

Jaylin Williams scored five points during a 10-3 run that gave OKC a 21-14 lead. McCollum made a floater for his only field goal in eight attempts as New Orleans closed within 23-19 at the end of the first quarter.

Naji Marshall, Jones and Murphy each made a 3-pointer to help the Pelicans creep within 40-39.

Gilgeous-Alexander made one 3-pointer and Dort made three straight during a 14-0 run that expanded the Thunder lead to 15 points. McCollum scored New Orleans' last five points, but OKC held a 60-46 halftime lead.

—Field Level Media

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