On Sunday night, Oklahoma City will host its first playoff game since the 2019 postseason when the No. 8-seed New Orleans Pelicans visit. This matchup follows the Thunder’s victory over the Pelicans in the NBA Play-In Tournament last season, setting the stage for a compelling first-round rematch a year later.
After a practice session on Saturday, head coach Mark Daigneault and rookie guard Cason Wallace discussed the upcoming challenge posed by the Pelicans. Daigneault highlighted the Pelicans’ strong defensive orientation, emphasizing their collective help defense, length at every position, and the defensive prowess of players like Herb Jones, who excels within their system similar to how Lu Dort contributes to the Thunder’s defense.
Herb Jones, a key player for the Pelicans over the past three seasons, has showcased his defensive skills and versatility, earning recognition as an All-Rookie player and starting numerous games. In their previous Play-In encounter, Jones displayed his impact with a well-rounded performance, and this season he continues to contribute significantly on both ends of the court, particularly with his defensive abilities and three-point shooting.
Standing at 6-foot-8, Jones poses a defensive challenge for the Thunder, especially with his perimeter defense and shooting. The Pelicans, under coach Willie Green, have excelled in transition defense throughout the season, an area where the Thunder have found success offensively. Players like Naji Marshall and Trey Murphy III add to the Pelicans’ defensive depth, requiring the Thunder to break down a solid defensive unit to maintain offensive consistency.
Defensively, Oklahoma City must bring physicality to contain the Pelicans’ scoring threats, even in the absence of Zion Williamson at the series’ start. Players like CJ McCollum and Brandon Ingram can still pose scoring threats, necessitating a strong defensive effort from the Thunder.
Wallace emphasized the team’s need for collective effort and physicality to counter the Pelicans’ offensive firepower, stressing the importance of defensive intensity and shot contesting.
With the fourth-best defensive rating in the NBA, the Thunder have excelled defensively all season and aim to continue their strong defensive performance in game one of the series on Sunday night. Stay updated on Thunder news by following Inside the Thunder on Facebook and Twitter for the latest updates and insights from the team’s coverage.
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