Usually, young teams lose their composure. In a game that saw the youth-filled OKC Thunder lose their 20-point lead in the second half, in front of a raucous crowd on the road, they undoubtedly showed what they are made of.
Oklahoma City scored 12 unanswered points to finish the game with a stunning 119-112 triumph over the New Orleans Pelicans Tuesday night.
After conceding a five-point lead in the waning minutes of the fourth quarter, the Thunder went on a 12-0 run to end the contest, turning the game over after what was a blown lead.
"I don't think we've really given up leads of that nature the way that we did tonight... 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."Mark Daigneault
For the ninth time this season, the Thunder showed once more their mettle, one that could define them at times, and hopefully during the playoffs.
Here are some takeaways from the club’s win against the Pelicans.
Josh Giddey is regaining his form
Josh Giddey has been on a tear after an underwhelming start to the season. In the Thunder’s win versus the Pelicans, Giddey caught fire with 25 points, 9 rebounds, and 4 assists on 71 percent shooting from the floor, including a terrific 5-for-8 three-point clip.
It was a career night from deep for Giddey, who, for the longest time, has been neglected in that range by opposing defenses.
Locked in for 3️⃣ 🎯 pic.twitter.com/d9LHfLBW0D
— OKC THUNDER (@okcthunder) March 27, 2024
New Orleans sagged off him early in the game, but Giddey, with his confidence and willingness to shoot it from long range, made the defense pay, knocking down his first three-pointer, setting the tone for the rest of the game.
"We don't flinch. You just got to be able to stay level-headed through a swing either way."Josh Giddey
After notching 10 points in the first quarter, Giddey was a source of offense in the second half, scoring 15 points while making all but one of his shots.
His confidence was evident, and it showed astonishing results as he continues his stellar play to end the regular season.
In his last eight games, he has averaged 15.1 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 4.9 assists. His shooting clip during this stretch has also been incredible for his standards, shooting 52.6 percent from the field, 42.1 percent from deep, and 100 percent from the free-throw line.
With these numbers, GIddey has emerged once more as a pivotal piece for the Thunder.