Chet Holmgren scored 26 points and grabbed nine rebounds, powering the Oklahoma City Thunder to a wire-to-wire 126-109 win over the struggling New Orleans Pelicans on Monday night.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander added 23 points and Lu Dort scored 17 as Oklahoma City erupted for a franchise-record 49 points in a dominant first quarter. Isaiah Hartenstein chipped in 16 as the Thunder extended their winning streak to six and improved to 14–1 on the season.
Rookie Jeremiah Fears led New Orleans with a season-high 24 points, while Trey Murphy III scored 18. But the Pelicans dropped their sixth straight and their second game since interim coach James Borrego stepped in following Willie Green’s dismissal.
New Orleans was again without Zion Williamson, who missed his ninth game with a hamstring injury, and Saddiq Bey, who was scratched with an ankle issue. Rookie Micah Peavy provided a bright spot off the bench with a season-high 16 points.
The Thunder wasted no time seizing control, jumping ahead by 10 less than three minutes in and stretching the lead to 20 before the midway point of the first quarter. Oklahoma City feasted on Pelicans turnovers, converting six early giveaways into 13 points while racing out to a 24-8 lead. By the time Brandon Carlson hit two free throws to make it 36-11, OKC had scored on 15 of its previous 17 possessions.
The Thunder closed the opening quarter up 49-24 before the Pelicans steadied themselves in the second, shooting 52.6% in the half to trim the deficit to 69-56 at the break. Any hopes of a comeback were short-lived, however, as Oklahoma City opened the third on a 24-11 surge, capped by Holmgren drilling a 3-pointer and then finishing a cutting dunk to push the lead to 93-67.
New Orleans never threatened again and closed out the game with a 17-point victory.
Up Next
Thunder: Host the Sacramento Kings on Wednesday night.
Pelicans: Host the Denver Nuggets on Wednesday night.
