The New Orleans Pelicans beat the Oklahoma City Thunder 116–110 in preseason action, but the circumstances matter. With Shai Gilgeous-Alexander sitting out for load management, Oklahoma City gave its younger players and reserves an opportunity to carry the offense.
That group showed encouraging shooting. The Thunder made 40 of 76 shots, finishing at approximately 53 percent from the field, and connected on 16 of 33 three-point attempts. Oklahoma City also recorded 29 assists. There was enough offensive production to win, even without Shai.
The problem was giving New Orleans too many additional opportunities.
Oklahoma City finished with 23 total turnovers, compared with 12 for the Pelicans. New Orleans collected 18 offensive rebounds to the Thunder’s six and attempted 47 free throws, compared with Oklahoma City’s 21. Those advantages helped the Pelicans overcome a night in which they shot approximately 40 percent from the field.
New Orleans made 34 free throws, while Oklahoma City converted 14. That 20-point difference at the line was especially significant in a game decided by six points. The Pelicans missed 13 foul shots, leaving room for improvement even in victory.
For Oklahoma City, Bennett Stirtz scored 15 points on 6-of-9 shooting in 31 minutes. Aday Mara finished with 12 points on a perfect 5-for-5 performance, while Brooks Barnhizer added 12 on 4-of-5 shooting. Jared McCain also scored 12, and Ajay Mitchell and Josh Dix contributed 11 apiece.
New Orleans spread its minutes across a large rotation. Zion Williamson scored 11 points on 4-of-6 shooting in 16 minutes, while Trey Murphy III added 11 in 19 minutes. Bennedict Mathurin contributed 13 points, and Derik Queen finished with 10.
The Thunder’s largest lead was 24 points, another reason to examine how the game developed rather than judging everything by the final score. Preseason substitutions and changing lineups limit what that lead tells us about Oklahoma City’s regular rotation.
My takeaway: Oklahoma City’s depth showed it could produce offense, but turnovers, fouls and defensive rebounding undermined that shooting. New Orleans deserves credit for taking advantage and finding a way to win.
Preseason results carry limited weight. The habits still matter. For the Thunder, the next step is pairing that offensive execution with cleaner possessions and fewer second chances for the opponent.
