OKC Thunder delivers statement win vs. Pelicans – player grades

OKC Thunder starting lineup grades:

Fair warning the following grades offer plenty of praise given how the Thunder won this game. It was a team effort with each individual stepping up to contribute to this victory.

More importantly, it reminds the Pelicans not to get too comfortable assuming they own the future. That’s because this Thunder squad may be on the lower ladder rung for the moment, but this type of win served notice the core of this team won’t be held down for long and plan to return to the upper echelon in the near future.

Applause, applause, applause!  Efforts like these from George Hill should make Thunder Nation giddy. Every time Hill hits a 3-point shot, particularly late in matches it will drive up his value for the trade deadline when teams realize how desperate they are to add a starting-caliber point guard with Hill’s savvy.

Hill registered 13 points, three rebounds, four assists, and two steals. He connected on three 3-pointers with the most important occurring at 4:02 of the final frame to end a four-minute stretch of no scoring. Hill also coolly drained two free throws at the game end that put the Thunder ahead 111-110 and subsequently became the game winning points for OKC.

In the final 3:43 of the match, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander showed why the franchise has so much confidence in him becoming the leader of the Thunder. He grabbed a rebound, assisted Horford on a key 3-pointer, and scored six consecutive points.

While SGA is still adjusting to the increased defensive attention he’s receiving and once again didn’t have a robust shooting efficiency (7 of 17 from the field and 2 of 7 from deep) he channeled his inner Point God to score when it mattered most.  Overall SGA scored  21 points and came one rebound shy (nine) of notching a double-double.

SGA gets the family bragging rights after this game as he faced his cousin Nickeil Alexander-Walker (who had a solid outing of his own).