Key Highlights
- New Orleans Pelicans’ Jordan Poole and Trey Murphy III showed improvement in three-point shooting.
- The Pelicans have struggled with a poor offense ranking No. 28 through five games.
- Oklahoma City Thunder won 10 consecutive games against New Orleans since the last time they defeated each other.
- Both teams are seeking their first victory in the current season.
New Orleans Pelicans Struggle with Offense as They Face Oklahoma City Thunder
The New Orleans Pelicans have been struggling offensively, ranking No. 28 through five games with an average of 107.1 points scored per 100 possessions. Despite Jordan Poole and Trey Murphy III breaking out from beyond the arc in a recent game against the Los Angeles Clippers, their performance is still far from ideal.
During Friday’s heartbreaking two-point loss at the Los Angeles Clippers, Poole (7 of 13) and Murphy (5 of 10) showed significant improvement. Before this game, both players had been struggling with poor three-point shooting: Poole started the campaign at 10/31 on threes, while Murphy began just 5/23.
However, after their performance against the Clippers, the Pelicans moved up four spots to No. 26 in NBA three-point percentage.
The Pelicans have faced a challenging schedule with all five of their opponents sporting at least a .500 record (San Antonio is 5-0; the Clippers and Denver are 3-2; Boston and Memphis are 3-3). Despite this tough schedule, the team is still searching for its first victory in the current season.
History of New Orleans vs. Oklahoma City
The New Orleans Pelicans have not won against the Oklahoma City Thunder since November 1, 2023. Since then, the Thunder have won 10 consecutive games over NOLA – including a four-game sweep during the first round of the 2024 playoffs. The Pelicans’ last victory in this series was almost exactly to the day of Sunday’s matchup.
The Pelicans have used five different starting lineups in their five games, with only Trey Murphy and Herb Jones being consistent starters.
Meanwhile, the Thunder have used three different starting lineups, including Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Cason Wallace, Lu Dort, Aaron Wiggins, and Isaiah Hartenstein.
Notable injuries include Chet Holmgren (back), Jalen Williams (wrist), and former Pelicans player Kenrich Williams (knee). Despite these absences, the Thunder have won each of their last four games by at least six points, with victories against Atlanta, Dallas, Sacramento, and Washington.
Looking Ahead for New Orleans
The New Orleans Pelicans face a tough schedule in the upcoming games as they continue to search for their first victory. Their next game is set for Sunday against the Oklahoma City Thunder at 2:30 p.m. Central time on GCSEN TV and WWL radio.
As the season progresses, it remains to be seen whether the Pelicans can improve their offensive performance and finally secure a win. The upcoming games will provide valuable insights into the team’s progress and potential turnaround in the league standings.
