In Oklahoma City, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander got 28 points, including the leading basket in the last minute, and the top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder barely won against the New Orleans Pelicans 94-92 in the first game of their initial Western Conference playoff series on Sunday evening.
New Orleans' CJ McCollum missed a difficult 3-pointer at the end and the Thunder managed to win their first home playoff game since 2019.
Jalen Williams got 19 points and Chet Holmgren contributed 15 points, 11 rebounds and five rebounds for the Thunder, who will host Game 2 on Wednesday night.
Trey Murphy III scored 21 points and McCollum added 20 for the Pelicans. Zion Williamson, New Orleans' top scorer in the regular season, sat out due to a strained left hamstring.
Gilgeous-Alexander scored an off-balance jumper with 32.5 seconds left to break a tie at 90 and was fouled during the play. With the crowd chanting “M-V-P!” Gilgeous-Alexander made the free throw to put Oklahoma City in the lead 93-90.
McCollum's medium-range jumper made it 93-92.
Holmgren was fouled with 14 seconds left. He missed the first free throw and made the second to put the Thunder ahead 94-92 and prepare for McCollum's final shot.
