JDub, Thunder pulverize Pelicans
Starting center Jalen Williams finished with 6 rebounds, 2 blocks, 4 steals, and a few thunderous dunks while helping Oklahoma City (10-2) stifle New Orleans (3-9) with smothering small ball. JDub and the undersized Thunder also did all the guard things, with Williams edging out Shai (29 pts, 5 ast, 4 stocks) for a game-high 31 points.
The Thunder are much better and deeper than most teams and, turns out, less injured than many. Down Alex Caruso but featuring more extended Kenrich Williams minutes in his second game back, OKC further validated its modern formula: Turnovers > Rebounds. The Pelicans nearly doubled the Thunder rebounding total (58 to 31), but OKC was +18 in turnovers (23 to 5) and seemingly +180 in the demoralizing fast breaks those turnovers generated at New Orleans' expense.
OKC now sits in sole position atop the West standings, pending the outcome of tonight's Phoenix/Sacramento game.