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The Oklahoma City Thunder used a second half push to take down the New Orleans Pelicans on the street within the NBA play-in match, 123-118.
The Thunder will now transfer on to face the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday for the possibility to safe the eighth and remaining seed within the Western Convention for the primary spherical of the NBA playoffs.
The sport was going backwards and forwards late within the fourth quarter, as each groups traded buckets to maintain the sport shut. The Pelicans used an early fourth-quarter run, scoring seven straight factors to tug inside two, and it remained near the tip.
Luguentz Dort #5 of the Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder shoots towards Brandon Ingram #14 of the New Orleans Pelicans through the first half on the Smoothie King Middle on April 12, 2023, in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Jonathan Bachman/Getty Photographs)
Nevertheless, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the Thunder’s greatest star, did what All-Stars do: Are available clutch.
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Down by one, Gilgeous-Alexander took a transition go after a CJ McCollum miss and made an ungainly driving layup to go up one with 28.1 seconds left to play.
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Brandon Ingram would miss the Pelicans’ next possession, which cracked the door open for OKC to place this one away.
Josh Giddey and Lu Dort hit clutch free throws, however Ingram redeemed himself by hitting a three-pointer to convey the lead down to 1.
But it surely was Gilgeous-Alexander who iced it with extra free throws to maneuver on within the match.
Gilgeous-Alexander had simply seven factors on the half, however he completed the sport with 32 factors to steer the Thunder in that class, going 11-for-22 from the sector, together with an ideal 8-of-8 from the charity stripe with 5 rebounds and three assists.
Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder ahead Jalen Williams (8) celebrates with ahead Jaylin Williams (6) and guard Josh Giddey (3) through the first half of the workforce’s NBA basketball play-in match sport towards the New Orleans Pelicans in New Orleans, Wednesday, April 12, 2023. (AP Photograph/Matthew Hinton)
However he wasn’t alone to tug off this win, after all. Giddey stepped up with 31 factors, whereas hauling in 9 rebounds and dispensing 10 assists because the 20-year-old was red-hot in his first style of the postseason.
Dort was a first-half machine as effectively, dropping 20 factors, 14 of which got here within the first quarter. He completed the sport with 27 factors, together with 4 three-pointers.
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For the Pelicans, Ingram was the chief with 30 factors on 10-of-19 from the sector. However McCollum had a letdown efficiency with solely 5 of 15 photographs made for 14 factors.
Jonas Valanciunas had the proper matchup within the paint, because the Thunder don’t possess a real middle on the roster proper now. He had a double-double within the first half with 11 factors and 12 rebounds.
However OKC was capable of hold him at bay within the second half, a minimum of on the factors entrance. He completed with 16 factors and 18 rebounds.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander #2 of the Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder drives towards Brandon Ingram #14 of the New Orleans Pelicans through the first half on the Smoothie King Middle on April 12, 2023, in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Jonathan Bachman/Getty Photographs)
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Trey Murphy III had 21 factors for New Orleans, whereas Herbert Jones dropped 20 factors as effectively.
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