close
close

first Drop

Com TW NOw News 2024

Thunder beats Pelicans as OKC matches best start since 2011-12
news

Thunder beats Pelicans as OKC matches best start since 2011-12

It was enough that the Thunder’s entire center rotation will be sidelined for the foreseeable future.

But is Alex Caruso also the backup, fragile big man? Cheeky.

And yet it didn’t matter against the injury-plagued Pelicans, who have had similarly tough fortunes. OKC still had its money in a 106-88 win and improved to 10-2, matching its best start since the 2011-12 season.

Admittedly, injury-ravaged is an understatement. A print version of the New Orleans selection comes with a free cast. Most of the skilled guards – including CJ McCollum and Dejounte Murray – watched the game Wednesday night in street clothes.

But the Thunder have been tasked with resembling the form of its No. 1 defense, disruptive and irritating, without its two best defensemen: center Chet Holmgren and Caruso, who missed Wednesday with hip soreness.

“It just makes us play harder because we know what we’re missing,” forward Jalen Williams said of Caruso’s absence.

The Thunder send a get well card to the rim protection. But the disruption, the activity, the outright theft in the alleys? That never went away.

OKC forced 23 turnovers, perhaps the only palatable antidote to being outscored by 27. It outscored the Pelicans 34-2 in fastbreak points. New Orleans made only one of its five chances. The Thunder almost committed more suicides than a half-court offense.

Brandon Boston Jr. and Brandon Ingram were tasked with leading New Orleans’ offense to some extent. Each of them was beaten and stolen until their games were unrecognizable.

Ingram had eight turnovers and went 7 for 18 from the field. Boston had six turnovers, a score of 3 for 10. Sophomore guard Cason Wallace, who had five steals, seemed to have lost a little of his talent with every touch.

“Obviously we’re playing smaller right now and we want to be a team that can offset our vulnerabilities with our strengths,” coach Mark Daigneault said. “I think from a coaching point of view sometimes you’re tempted to focus on all the things that are going wrong. But sometimes the solution is to do your best things better.”

Players who barely resemble centers rotated near the rim. They fouled the passing lanes. A New Orleans offensive rebound required a three-man escort, with at least one of OKC’s defenders coming away with the ball more often than not.

The Thunder defense was so frantic that new Center leader Jalen Williams even did his best Holmgren impression midway through the third quarter, hitting back-to-back shots and getting fouled at the other end, a blur of a sequence on a night when he had 31 points, six rebounds, seven assists and four steals.

The hollowed-out unit performed that side of the ball so well — perhaps as well as the lineup to start the season — that it begged the question of how high the Thunder can soar during this non-major stretch.

Disruption (and turnover) remains the brand, even if small and feisty are the most predictable things OKC can be right now. Even if the team’s defensive anchor is out. And his backup. And the man behind him. And the…

Well, you get it.

Even after winning a jump ball, Williams won’t give away his pseudo-center secrets.

He promised Monday to reveal the advice center Jaylin Williams gave him if he wins. When the time came, forward Aaron Wiggins sat down next to him and gave him a push.

“The higher-ups told me not to say it,” Williams joked. “But – this is quite clear – it’s a matter of timing. … Don’t know. My arms are long. That was really all.”

Just know that Williams, who played center for the second night in a row and spent more time at the five than ever, was rested. With a spider-like wingspan. With the palpable fire of a great man. With the tricks of the trade.

He ran up the floor, caught lobs, stepped into 3s – so much movement that he almost distracted the Pelicans from the position he was playing.

“That guy was everywhere tonight,” Daigneault said. “Literally, everywhere.”

This season he had special stretches. Where Williams’ old spots seemed hidden from his view, where maybe his handle couldn’t get there.

But Williams, the center, was enough. And Williams, the off-ball player the Thunder desperately need these days, was a star.

He made 10 of his 18 shots, as well as four of his seven three-point attempts.

His consecutive blocks were astonishing. Partly because he got his 8-foot wingspan past the rim and then managed to get back in the game for more. But mostly because in that moment he looked like what the Thunder can only hope for in the coming weeks.

The do-it-all, send-back, scream-in-your-face wing who has to carry a weight unprecedented for his young career. After all, he’s the starting point in a line of guards and wings — none would be taller than 6-foot-1.

“I’m probably taller than (Williams),” Shai Gilgeous-Alexander said, “but I know he probably doesn’t like that, so (Williams) could be the tallest.”

There was no doubt on Wednesday. Williams stood the longest.

Injury report – just not from Mark Daigneault

Mark Daigneault does not release injury update statuses. Or money, apparently.

Asked for an update on Caruso, Daigneault nipped in the bud. He will refer to the team’s published updates, which are accompanied by injury reports released to the NBA.

“I would love to sit here and give you all the details that I have, but the league has made it very clear that you will be punished if you talk about injuries,” Daigneault said. “…I would like to give you the information. I am not rebelling against freedom of the press. However, our money is valuable to us.”

Daigneault didn’t have an update on Isaiah Hartenstein, but for what it’s worth, Hartenstein was seen Wednesday without the glove/brace he was wearing.

  • Shai Gilgeous-Alexander: 29 points on 12-for-25 shooting, five rebounds and five assists
  • Ajay Mitchell: 6 points, two rebounds, three assists and a tied team-high plus-18.
  • Date: Wednesday November 13th
  • Time: 6:30 PM CT
  • Where: Paycom Center in Oklahoma City

What channel is OKC Thunder vs New Orleans Pelicans on today?

  • TV: FanDuel Sports Network, ESPN
  • Watch online: Fubo (free trial)
  • Radio: WWLS 98.1FM

Odds vs Pelicans odds

Odds available via BetMGM from Wednesday, November 13

Chances: Thursday at 2.5 p.m

Top/bottom: 223.5

Moneyline: OKC-1200 | New Orleans +725

OKC Thunder roster

  • Alex Caruso, PG
  • Ousmane Dieng, SF
  • Luguentz Dort, SG
  • Alex Ducas, SG*
  • Adam Flagler, PG
  • Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, SG
  • Isaiah Hartenstein, C
  • Chet Holmgren, PF
  • Isaiah Joe, SG
  • Dillon Jones, S.F
  • Ajay Mitchell, S.G.*
  • Alex Reese, PF
  • Nikola Topić, PG
  • Cason Wallace, S.G
  • Aaron Wiggins, S.G
  • Jalen Williams, S.G
  • Jaylin Williams, PF
  • Kenrich Williams, PF

*-two-way contract

OKC Thunder schedule

Wednesday November 13: vs. New Orleans at 6:30 PM (FanDuel Sports Network and ESPN)

Friday, November 15 (NBA Cup Game): vs. Phoenix at 7 p.m. (FanDuel Sports Network)

Sunday November 17: vs. Dallas at 6 p.m. (FanDuel Sports Network)

Tuesday, November 19 (NBA Cup Game): in San Antonio at 8:30 PM (TNT)

Wednesday November 20: vs. Portland at 7 p.m. (FanDuel Sports Network)

Highlights of Thunder vs. Pelicans

Every now and then we recommend interesting products and services. If you make a purchase by clicking one of the links, we may earn an affiliate commission. USA TODAY Network newsrooms operate independently and this does not impact our reporting.