Jalen Williams led the charge for the Oklahoma City Thunder with a 24-point performance, including a crucial 3-pointer with three minutes remaining, as they completed a four-game sweep of the New Orleans Pelicans in their first-round playoff series, winning 97-89.<\/p>\n
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander also contributed significantly with 24 points and 10 rebounds for Oklahoma City. Despite trailing by five points in the fourth quarter, the Thunder turned the tide with a combination of stout defense and timely shooting.<\/p>\n
New Orleans held a narrow 80-75 lead and had an opportunity to extend it further when a defensive stop led to a fast break opportunity for CJ McCollum. However, McCollum was unable to convert, and Oklahoma City capitalized on the momentum swing. Chet Holmgren’s putback and Josh Giddey’s game-tying 3-pointer sparked an 18-2 run for the Thunder, culminating in Williams’ clutch 3-pointer that put them ahead 93-82 with just over three minutes left.<\/p>\n
Despite their efforts, New Orleans, playing without star forward Zion Williamson for the entire series, couldn’t mount a comeback.<\/p>\n
Giddey and Holmgren also made significant contributions for Oklahoma City, scoring 14 points each, with Holmgren adding nine rebounds to his stat line.<\/p>\n
McCollum led the scoring for the Pelicans with 20 points, but their struggles from beyond the arc continued, shooting just 23.5% from 3-point range, hitting only eight of their 34 attempts.<\/p>\n