NEW ORLEANS (AP) — The Oklahoma City Thunder lost a 20-point, second-half lead, but not their composure.
Jalen Williams scored four of his 26 points in the last half-minute, and the Thunder rallied with a 12-0 run during the final 2:31 to escape with a 119-112 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans on Tuesday night.
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NEW ORLEANS (AP) — The Oklahoma City Thunder lost a 20-point, second-half lead, but not their composure.
Trey Murphy III’s 28-foot 3 and McCollum's driving floater gave New Orleans a 112-107 lead with 3:11 left. But the Pelicans did not score again, missing their final five shots.
“I don't think we've really given up leads of that nature the way that we did tonight,” Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said. “But you have to be able to handle a lot of different situations in competition and I thought our guys just showed great toughness and poise in a pretty hostile environment against a very sharp opponent that had a lot of momentum.”
New Orleans Pelicans head coach Willie Green calls out from the bench in the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Oklahoma City Thunder in New Orleans, Tuesday, March 26, 2024. The Thunder won 119-112. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander battles under the basket with New Orleans Pelicans guard CJ McCollum (3) in the second half of an NBA basketball game in New Orleans, Tuesday, March 26, 2024. The Thunder won 119-112. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson (1) is blocked as he goes to the basket in the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Oklahoma City Thunder in New Orleans, Tuesday, March 26, 2024. The Thunder won 119-112. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson (1) and forward Herbert Jones (5) battle for a rebound in the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Oklahoma City Thunder in New Orleans, Tuesday, March 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
New Orleans Pelicans forward Herbert Jones (5) goes to the basket against Oklahoma City Thunder forward Jalen Williams (8) in the first half of an NBA basketball game in New Orleans, Tuesday, March 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson (1) shoots against Oklahoma City Thunder forward Chet Holmgren (7) in the first half of an NBA basketball game in New Orleans, Tuesday, March 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
Oklahoma City Thunder forward Chet Holmgren (7) slam dunks in the first half of an NBA basketball game against the New Orleans Pelicans in New Orleans, Tuesday, March 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson (1) reacts after tying the game in the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Oklahoma City Thunder in New Orleans, Tuesday, March 26, 2024. The Thunder won 119-112. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
Oklahoma City Thunder guard Josh Giddey (3) goes to the basket against New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson (1) and guard CJ McCollum (3) in the second half of an NBA basketball game in New Orleans, Tuesday, March 26, 2024. The Thunder won 119-112. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson (1) shoots over Oklahoma City Thunder forward Jaylin Williams (6) and forward Gordon Hayward (33) in the first half of an NBA basketball game in New Orleans, Tuesday, March 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
Oklahoma City Thunder forward Jalen Williams (8) drives to the basket against New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson in the first half of an NBA basketball game in New Orleans, Tuesday, March 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
“We don't flinch,” said Thunder guard Josh Giddey, who scored 25 points. “You just got to be able to stay level-headed through a swing either way.”
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 24 points, including a tying 3 with 1:29 left, despite playing through a sore quadriceps that he said has been “a little banged up” since a victory over Utah last Wednesday.
"Most of it’s just trying not to think about it, and just play the game, read and react, and do everything you can to impact the game in a positive way,” Gilgeous-Alexander said before walking gingerly out of the arena.
Zion Williamson had 29 points and 10 assists, and CJ McCollum scored 23 points for the Pelicans, who trailed 88-68 before using a 20-2 run to get themselves — and the crowd — back into the game.
New Orleans Pelicans forward Larry Nance Jr. (22) slam dunks over Oklahoma City Thunder forward Jaylin Williams (6), guard Josh Giddey (3) and forward Kenrich Williams (34) in the second half of an NBA basketball game in New Orleans, Tuesday, March 26, 2024. The Thunder won 119-112. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
Trey Murphy III’s 28-foot 3 and McCollum's driving floater gave New Orleans a 112-107 lead with 3:11 left. But the Pelicans did not score again, missing their final five shots.
“We were kind of stagnant and I definitely got to demand the ball more in those situations,” said Williamson, who did not have a shot in the final three minutes.
But Williamson stressed that he is gratified by the opportunity to have a central role in meaningful, late season games for the first-time after injuries sidelined him for New Orleans' past two postseason pushes.
“This is what being competitive is all about,” Williamson said. “These games are fun to play in. We didn't get the result we wanted tonight, but games like this, when I watch playoff basketball, this is what games look like — just down the wire, teams make runs and whoever stays the most disciplined gets the win.
"So, I'm excited for this stretch,” he added.
Chet Holmgren had 16 points for Oklahoma City, which won for the fifth time in six games to pull half a game behind idle Denver for the top spot in the Western Conference.
Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) goes to the basket between New Orleans Pelicans forward Jeremiah Robinson-Earl (50) and forward Naji Marshall (8) in the second half of an NBA basketball game in New Orleans, Tuesday, March 26, 2024. The Thunder won 119-112. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
“I don't think we've really given up leads of that nature the way that we did tonight,” Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said. “But you have to be able to handle a lot of different situations in competition and I thought our guys just showed great toughness and poise in a pretty hostile environment against a very sharp opponent that had a lot of momentum.”
Murphy and Herb Jones each scored 16 for New Orleans, which lost for just the second time in eight games and fell out of fourth place in the West.
Oklahoma City “executed better than us the last 2 1/2 minutes of the game,” Pelicans coach Willie Green said. “Our guys battled. They know that sense of urgency has to be there from the start.”
Oklahoma City shot 62.2% (28 of 45) overall and 50% (10 of 20) from long distance in the first half, when it opened up a 15-point lead.
Williams had 18 of his points in the opening half, and his third 3 of the game gave the Thunder a 71-56 lead. Gilgeous-Alexander's 15-foot turnaround in the final seconds of the second quarter gave Oklahoma City a 73-58 halftime lead.
UP NEXT
Thunder: Host Houston on Wednesday night in the first of two straight at home.
Pelicans: Host Milwaukee on Thursday night in the second of a six-game homestand.
AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba
Oklahoma City Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault calls out from the bench in the second half of an NBA basketball game against the New Orleans Pelicans in New Orleans, Tuesday, March 26, 2024. The Thunder won 119-112. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
New Orleans Pelicans head coach Willie Green calls out from the bench in the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Oklahoma City Thunder in New Orleans, Tuesday, March 26, 2024. The Thunder won 119-112. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander battles under the basket with New Orleans Pelicans guard CJ McCollum (3) in the second half of an NBA basketball game in New Orleans, Tuesday, March 26, 2024. The Thunder won 119-112. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson (1) is blocked as he goes to the basket in the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Oklahoma City Thunder in New Orleans, Tuesday, March 26, 2024. The Thunder won 119-112. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson (1) and forward Herbert Jones (5) battle for a rebound in the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Oklahoma City Thunder in New Orleans, Tuesday, March 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
New Orleans Pelicans forward Herbert Jones (5) goes to the basket against Oklahoma City Thunder forward Jalen Williams (8) in the first half of an NBA basketball game in New Orleans, Tuesday, March 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson (1) shoots against Oklahoma City Thunder forward Chet Holmgren (7) in the first half of an NBA basketball game in New Orleans, Tuesday, March 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
Oklahoma City Thunder forward Chet Holmgren (7) slam dunks in the first half of an NBA basketball game against the New Orleans Pelicans in New Orleans, Tuesday, March 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson (1) reacts after tying the game in the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Oklahoma City Thunder in New Orleans, Tuesday, March 26, 2024. The Thunder won 119-112. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
Oklahoma City Thunder guard Josh Giddey (3) goes to the basket against New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson (1) and guard CJ McCollum (3) in the second half of an NBA basketball game in New Orleans, Tuesday, March 26, 2024. The Thunder won 119-112. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson (1) shoots over Oklahoma City Thunder forward Jaylin Williams (6) and forward Gordon Hayward (33) in the first half of an NBA basketball game in New Orleans, Tuesday, March 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
Oklahoma City Thunder forward Jalen Williams (8) drives to the basket against New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson in the first half of an NBA basketball game in New Orleans, Tuesday, March 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
