Oklahoma City, Oklahoma — In a commanding performance, Jalen Williams posted 31 points and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander contributed 29, guiding the Oklahoma City Thunder to a 106-88 victory over the injury-depleted New Orleans Pelicans on Wednesday evening.
This win marked the Thunder’s second consecutive triumph without star player Chet Holmgren, following their previous 134-128 victory against the Los Angeles Clippers on Monday.
Lou Dort chipped in with 11 points, while Aaron Wiggins added 10 points for Oklahoma City, who improved their record to 10-2. The Thunder surged ahead in the third quarter, outpacing the Pelicans with a dominating 16-0 run that propelled them from a 59-59 deadlock to a 75-59 lead.
Williams showcased his shooting skill, hitting 10 of 18 attempts, including four successful three-point shots out of seven attempts, along with dishing out seven assists. Gilgeous-Alexander, on the other hand, made 12 of his 25 shot attempts as the Thunder excelled in three-point shooting, making 15 out of 39 attempts from beyond the arc.
For the Pelicans, Brandon Ingram scored 18 points while Trey Murphy added 14, and Yves Missi secured a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds. Despite New Orleans dominating the boards with a 58-31 rebound advantage, their efforts were hindered by an overwhelming 24 turnovers. The team was undermanned, missing several key players, including Jose Alvarado, Herb Jones, CJ McCollum, Dejounte Murray, and Zion Williamson, all sidelined due to injuries.
Holmgren, a pivotal player for Oklahoma City, is expected to be out for at least eight weeks due to a pelvic fracture sustained during a hard fall in a recent game against Golden State. The 7-foot-1 forward/center had been recognized as one of the most efficient scorers and a leading shot blocker in the league prior to his injury.
Key moments in the game saw Oklahoma City initially fall behind 16-6. However, they rapidly turned the tide, concluding the first quarter with a 24-8 surge that provided them with a 33-28 lead. Gilgeous-Alexander contributed nine points during this stretch, while Kenrich Williams added five points, including a three-pointer, over just six minutes of action off the bench.
As for significant stats, Oklahoma City utilized a guard-heavy lineup for the second consecutive game in Holmgren’s absence and displayed commendable ball control by limiting themselves to only seven turnovers—a sharp contrast to the 11 turnovers recorded in their prior game against the Clippers.
Looking forward, the Pelicans are set to host the Denver Nuggets on Friday, while the Thunder will face off against the Phoenix Suns, also on Friday.