JDub, Thunder pulverizes pelicans

On November 14, 2024By Littum

Starting center Jalen Williams finished with 6 rebounds, 2 blocks, 4 steals and a pair of thunderous dunks while helping Oklahoma City (10-2) suffocate New Orleans (3-9) with suffocating small ball. JDub and the undersized Thunder also handled all the guard stuff, with Williams able to match Shai (29 pts, 5 ast, 4 shares) for a game-high 31 points.

The Thunder are much better and deeper than most teams and, it turns out, less injured than many. Down Alex Caruso, but with more extended Kenrich Williams minutes in his second game remaining, OKC further validated its modern formula: Turnover > Rebounds. The Pelicans nearly doubled the Thunder rebound total (58 to 31), but OKC was +18 in turnovers (23 to 5) and seemingly +180 in the demoralizing fast breaks, those turnovers generated at New Orleans’ expense.

OKC now sits in sole position atop the West standings, pending the outcome of tonight’s Phoenix/Sacramento game.