Thunder @ Pelicans Playoff Game 4 Takeaways

Chrissy Smith • April 30, 2024

Team Stats
(Thunder at Pelicans)

Final Score: 97-89
Rebounds: 44-50
Assists: 17-22
Blocks: 7-8

Steals: 10-10

Turnovers: 14-19

Stat Leaders
(Thunder @ Pelicans)

Scoring Leaders: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander/Jalen Williams, 24; CJ McCollum, 20

Rebound Leaders: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, 10; Jonas Valanciusas, 13

Assist Leaders: Chet Holmgren, 5; Brandon Ingram, 6

My Player of the Game: Jonas Valanciunas

 

Takeaways

  • Well, the Pelicans got swept in the first-round of the NBA playoffs.
  • The Pelicans' offense struggled this whole series, and although it didn't seem like the OKC defense was anything special, they held the Pelicans to well under 100 points per game.
  • Turnovers were a huge issue for the Pelicans this entire playoff series.
  • OKC's Dort shut down Brandon Ingram every game -- and it was hurtful to the Pelicans that Ingram was never able to take over or hit some of his open shots. He went 2-of-14 from the field in tonight's game.
  • When Jordan Hawkins was put in the game, the Pelicans went on a run in the first half but then he did not play in the second half.
  • Not sure where Jonas ends up next year, but he had a good game for the Pelicans tonight.
  • Many times the NBA championship teams come down to who can stay healthy, and unfortunately for the Pelicans, Zion and BI got hurt at the worst time of the season.
  • Regardless, the Pelicans won 49 games this season, we got to witness a healthy Zion for the entire regular season, we saw Herb Jones improve tremendously, and we saw Dyson Daniels and Jordan Hawkins kick off their great, young careers.
  • There will be moves in the offseason because the Pelicans have a generational talent in Zion.
  • For now, I appreciate everyone who has gone along on the ride with me this season. I truly believe that next year we will be back better than ever. As always, Go Pelicans!


Follow The Kneaux on 
X, and follow me there too @SportsChrissy.


A quick share helps us a lot!

By Caleb Yaccarino September 14, 2025
After a close loss to the Arizona Cardinals, the New Orleans Saints have a chance to bounce back against a depleted San Francisco 49ers team, but can they do it?
By Erik Trosclair September 12, 2025
When: Saturday, September 13th, 2025, 6:30 PM Where: The Real Death Valley, Baton Rouge, LA Channel: ABC Spread: LSU -7.5 O/U: 46.5 This will be the 72nd time these schools meet up in this storied rivalry. This game always has a story, a moment to remember, so be ready, football fans! Florida Gators The Gators enter this contest with a record of 1-1. Florida opened up the season with a 55-0 win over Long Island University, but the Gators dropped a game last week to a talented South Florida team. This Gator offense is led by quarterback DJ Lagway. LSU fans remember Lagway all too well from last season. On the season, Lagway is 38/51, with 342 passing yards and 4 TDs. Jadan Baugh is the leader in the backfield. The leading pass catchers on this team are Vernell Brown III, Eugene Wilson III, and Hayden Hansen. The Gator defense is a solid unit. Jaden Robinson and Myles Graham are the leading linebackers. Tyreak Sapp is the leader on the defensive line. LSU Tigers The Tigers are coming off of a "disappointing" victory against Louisiana Tech. The Tigers have a chance to bury the Gators' dreams for the season in this game. This game being in Death Valley helps out the Tigers tremendously. The Tigers better be ready to get on the Gators early and often because this is an upset Gator team with a big upset on the mind. KEYS TO THE GAME - Can the Tigers establish a running game? The leaders on this team need to get up. - Will the Tigers' defense keep up the red-hot start to the season? - Will Braelin Moore be back on the field? This is a mad Florida team who would love to upset the Tigers in this rivalry. Can the Tigers contain DJ Lagway? Fun Fact: Florida running back coach Jabar Juluke was born in New Orleans. He was the running back coach at LSU in 2016. Thank you for checking out my article. Follow me on X (the artist formerly known as Twitter) @eazytro
Show More