After a narrow win in Game 1, Oklahoma City Thunder coach Mark Daigneault warned his team about the New Orleans Pelicans coming out with more aggression in Game 2. And the Pelicans did hit first, with their first 11 points coming from center Jonas Valanciunas.
But after that first punch, the Thunder became the aggressors and cruised to a 124-92 victory to take a 2-0 lead in the first-round series.
The early counter to Valanciunas was getting rookie Chet Holmgren going on the perimeter. Holmgren had 15 of his 26 points in the first quarter as the Thunder took a double-digit lead and never looked back.
"He was great to start," Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander said. "He was aggressive, he was assertive, made quick decisions and obviously was a big reason why we got out to that lead."
Gilgeous-Alexander set a playoff career high with 33 points as he, Holmgren and Jalen Williams combined for 80. All 124 points for Oklahoma City were sco