The Oklahoma City Thunder have clinched the best record in the NBA.
So the Thunder (67-14) have nothing tangible at stake in their regular-season finale against the lottery-bound Pelicans on Sunday afternoon in New Orleans.
But Oklahoma City coach Mark Daigneault said he believes there’s still something to be accomplished in the finale — in addition to victory No. 68 in what has been the winningest season in franchise history.
“We’re just trying to build habits and improve our fundamentals,” Daigneault said. “We know those are the things that show up in every game, including playoff games. We’re working every game to be the best team we can be on both ends of the floor.”
The Thunder have played without MVP candidate Shai Gilgeous-Alexander the last two games because of a left shin contusion. He also seems unlikely to play Sunday.
In his absence, Oklahoma City scored a season-high 46 first-quarter points and never trailed in a 145-111 victory over Jazz on Friday night in Salt Lake City. Aaron Wiggins scored 35 points, Isaiah Joe had 32 on a career-high 10 made 3-pointers, and Jaylin Williams added 15 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists.
“We just want to keep getting better,” Daigneault said. “We’re a better team, and the guys who played (against the Jazz) are better because of the game. We want to do that with every opportunity all the way through the 82 games.”
All nine players who participated had at least one assist for the Thunder, who had 41 helpers on 56 made field goals.
“That just comes by playing together, playing hard, being able to get rebounds, get out in transition and find some easier looks,” Joe said. “It’s just a fun brand of basketball, and we do it all the time.”
Oklahoma City has won all three games against New Orleans this season, prevailing by a combined 64 points. But none of those outcomes was as lopsided as the most recent loss by the Pelicans (21-60), who allowed the most points and suffered the most lopsided loss in franchise history in a 153-104 home defeat against Miami on Friday night.
It was New Orleans’ sixth straight loss, the last two of which came in games in which just eight players were healthy enough to play.
“This is tough,” Pelicans coach Willie Green said. “You feel for your guys out there fighting and we’re undermanned, but at the same time you’ve got to be able to go through some adversity, and it builds you and it makes you stronger.”
In the absence of the team’s top eight scorers, others have had notable performers. Jamal Cain had a career high in points in each of the last two games, finishing with 25 against the Heat. Guard Elfrid Payton has had at least 10 assists in each of the last five games.
This will the third consecutive Pelicans season that will end with a home game against Oklahoma City. Last year concluded with the top-seeded Thunder completing a four-game sweep in a first-round playoff series.
Oklahoma City ousted New Orleans in the play-in tournament the previous season.
–Field Level Media
