Oklahoma City ThunderOpen full analysis
New Orleans PelicansOpen full analysis
Oklahoma City defeated New Orleans 126–109 on November 17 at Smoothie King Center, with Chet Holmgren and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander leading the Thunder's balanced offensive assault with 26 and 23 points respectively. OKC's three-point shooting proved decisive—the visitors drilled 17 threes compared to New Orleans' 12—while maintaining a 123.1 offensive rating against the Pelicans' 108.3. The Thunder's first quarter was particularly dominant, outscoring the home team 49–24 to establish early control; despite New Orleans clawing back with 32 second-quarter points, Oklahoma City's third-quarter surge (36 points) put the game out of reach. J. Fears and Trey Murphy III paced New Orleans with 24 and 18 points, but the Pelicans' 20 turnovers and 123.1 defensive rating proved costly. OKC's 30 assists and 12 steals underscored a more efficient, ball-movement-oriented approach that overwhelmed the home defense. The Thunder's road victory strengthens their conference positioning and Western Conference credentials.
