2 key factors that will lead to a Thunder Game 3 victory over Pelicans

After a tough and sloppy opening victory, the Oklahoma City Thunder cruised to a 124-92 win in game two. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the way with 33 points on 13-of-19 shooting, while Chet Holmgren and Jalen Williams contributed a combined 47 points on 19-of-30 shooting.

It was the first time that OKC had three 20+ point scorers in the same playoff game since August of 2020. 

As a team, the Thunder produced a phenomenal 71 true shooting percentage. For context, Boston paced the league this season at 61 percent, and Portland ranked last at 54 percent. Meanwhile, OKC forced a whopping 17 turnovers and scored 16 more points off of them than the Pelicans.

They now travel to New Orleans with a commanding 2-0 series lead.

Across NBA history, teams went on to win the series nearly 93 percent of the time when they held this exact lead. No team has ever come back from down 3-0, so a Thunder game three win would be immense.

The Pelicans will likely be without Zion Williamson once again, which is a boon for OKC. Williamson averaged nearly 23 points per game this year and would provide New Orleans with a much-needed offensive spark. 

How can the Thunder secure a crucial game three win? Keep reading for keys to an OKC victory this Saturday.