Thunder Game Day: OKC Thunder Search For Commanding 2-0 Lead Over Pelicans

The Oklahoma City Thunder look to extend their series lead over the Pelicans to two games on Wednesday before the series shifts to the Bayou.

Apr 21, 2024; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; New Orleans Pelicans forward Naji Marshall (8) reaches / Alonzo Adams-USA TODAY Sports

After narrowly escaping Game 1 on Sunday, the Oklahoma City Thunder are back in action for just the second time in ten days.

The atypical rhythm could lead to rust for the Thunder which led to a lowly 94-point performance offensively to grab a two-point edge over New Orleans on Sunday.

Should the Pelicans hope to join the shortlist of No. 8 seeds to dethrone a top-line team, this game feels dyer for the Bourbon Street Ballers.

Apr 21, 2024; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) / Alonzo Adams-USA TODAY Sports

ODDS: 

The Oklahoma City Thunder enter the day as 7.5-point favorites against the New Orleans Pelicans, and the total over/under is 210 points.

KEYS TO THE GAME: 

The Oklahoma City Thunder did not have their A-game offensively on Sunday but with some polish things can quickly turn around for the Bricktown boys.

Defensively, there is not much more the Thunder can do than limit their matchup to 92 points worth of production.

Lu Dort continuing to get under Brandon Ingram and navigate through screens will prove to be the difference in this contest. If Ingram labors his way to 12 points as he did on Sunday, the Thunder will be hard to beat.

Chet Holmgren has to punish Jonas Valanciunas if that is who Willie Green will elect to deploy on the rookie. The heavy-legged big man can not keep pace with the unique seven-footer who can splash in triples and put the ball on the deck to get to the rim.

Oklahoma City has to be willing to play through Holmgren more - using their five-out spacing with the Gonzaga product at the top of the key.

As the Pelicans peel out a depleted roster devoid of shot makers, the Thunder can make the bucket-getter list even shorter for New Orleans by exploiting a simple weakness.

With more spacing, the Thunder can bring veteran scoring guard CJ McCollum to the ball more using his man as a screener.

Doing so forces the Pelicans to pick death by McCollum pick-and-rolls or planting another scorer on the pine for a team that struggled to score 92 points Sunday.

RECORDS: 

Oklahoma City Thunder (1-0) vs. New Orleans Pelicans (0-1)

INJURIES: 

Check out our live injury tracker, along with our game day injury report that will release later today.

WHEN: 

Wednesday, April 24, 2024 at 8:30 p.m. CT

LOCATION: 

Paycom Center - Oklahoma City, OK

TV/RADIO: 

TNT, Bally Sports Oklahoma, 98.1 FM The Sports Animal

Live Stream: fuboTV (Start Your Free Trial)

FINAL WORD:  

The Oklahoma City Thunder have the chance to go for a defacto kill shot taking a 2-0 advantage before the series shifts to New Orleans if they can take care of business against the No. 8 seed at home.

---

Want to join the discussion? Like Inside the Thunder on Facebook and follow us on Twitter to stay up to date on all the latest Thunder news. You can also meet the team behind the coverage.