Inside The Thunder

Three Takeaways from the OKC Thunder's Final Win of the Regular Season

Oklahoma City took down the New Orleans Pelicans on Sunday night for the team's final game of the regular season.

Nathan Aker

Apr 13, 2025; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; New Orleans Pelicans forward Jamal Cain (8) drives to the basket against Oklahoma City Thunder forward Dillon Jones (3) during the second half at Smoothie King Center. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images
Apr 13, 2025; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; New Orleans Pelicans forward Jamal Cain (8) drives to the basket against Oklahoma City Thunder forward Dillon Jones (3) during the second half at Smoothie King Center. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images / Stephen Lew-Imagn Images
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The Oklahoma City Thunder ended its regular season with a 15-point win over the New Orleans Pelicans on Sunday afternoon, reaching its franchise-best 68 wins in a season and achieving massive heights into a highly promising postseason.

Oklahoma City's two-way players got to shine on the night, and certainly the seven-foot center Branden Carlson as he dropped an efficient 26 points on the night.

As we head into the playoffs, let's take one final look at a few takeaways from the Thunder's last regular season game of the 2024-25 season:

OKC Thunder Still Dominant in Starters' Absence

The Thunder has managed the largest scoring differential this season, blowing teams out left and right and creating a plus-12.5 differential through its entire season.

That energy was kept against the Pelicans on Sunday afternoon even without the Thunder's starters competing in the game. A 20-point lead created in the first quarter ultimately led to its 15-point advantage by the end of the game, as Aaron Wiggins and Carlson were able to lead the way to an Oklahoma City victory.

Wiggins, Carlson Erupt

As mentioned, Carlson's season-high 26-point game was impressive and it leaked into other areas. Three blocks, 10 rebounds and two assists while maintaining a shooting percentage of above 50% lended itself well to Oklahoma City's win.

The only guy in front of him in scoring was Wiggins, who filled up the stat sheet just as impressively. 28 points on 8-of-18 from the field with two threes, seven boards, seven assists and two steals, Wiggins was everywhere.

These two performances made it easier for Oklahoma City to keep New Orleans at bay.

OKC's Second Chances Provide Key Cushion

Second-chance opportunities were key for Oklahoma City in this one.

Winning the rebound battle 54-47, the Thunder were able to turn 17 offensive rebounds into 21 second-chance points and 60 points in the paint in total. The Pelicans didn't have much of an answer despite scoring 52 points in the paint of their own, but a lesser shooting performance bogged them down in the long run.

Heading into the postseason, Oklahoma City's first-round opponent is still undetermined as the Play-In Tournament will commence on Tuesday, April 15, until Friday, April 18.

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Nathan Aker
NATHAN AKER

Nathan is a senior at the University of Oklahoma majoring in Public Relations set to graduate in May 2024. He holds experience covering multiple sports, primarily basketball, at the high school and collegiate level. 

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