The Oklahoma City Thunder dominated their first-round matchup against the New Orleans Pelicans. The team’s 4-0 sweep of the Pels brought the rising franchise into uncharted NBA waters.
The Thunder ended the Pelicans’ season in a 97-89 win in Game 4 at Smoothie King Center in New Orleans, La. After a shaky series opener, OKC completely dismantled New Orleans without the latter’s best player Zion Williamson in the lineup.
The biggest knock on the Thunder that their critics hold onto is the team’s youth. The average age of the roster is under 24 years old. MVP candidate Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is the elder statesman of the team’s starting lineup at 25 years old.
But the team showed the poise of a veteran club against the Pelicans in each contest of the 4-game series against the Pelicans. The Thunder not only became the youngest team to sweep another in a 7-game series. OKC’s squad became the youngest to win an NBA playoff series period.
After tonight’s 97-89 win over the New Orleans Pelicans, the Oklahoma City Thunder becomes the youngest team to win a playoff series in @NBA history. pic.twitter.com/7eD07ToE8A
— OKC THUNDER (@okcthunder) April 30, 2024
The Thunder already came into the playoffs as the youngest one-seed in NBA history. But that inexperience hasn’t shown just yet, which is how the team has carried itself all throughout the regular season.
OKC Thunder:
— Youngest one seed
— Youngest team to win a series
— Youngest team to sweep a seriesAnd a million future draft picks. pic.twitter.com/QqnAEGro68
— StatMuse (@statmuse) April 30, 2024
The Thunder were favorably able to avoid both the Denver Nuggets and Minnesota Timberwolves in the second round by virtue of winning the No. 1 seed. But they’ll still have to face the veteran-laded Los Angeles Clippers or Dallas Mavericks in the next round.
Both opponents would feature superstar opponents with years of playoff experience, which the Thunder didn’t exactly have to deal with in the first round against the Pelicans.
One advantage the Thunder will have is a massive amount of rest. The Clippers and Mavericks are currently tied 2-2 entering their Game 5 slated for Wednesday. The series could easily go to seven games, while the Thunder can just sit back and await their opponents from home.
If the Thunder continue to execute like a number-one seed and not an inexperienced squad, then the boys from OKC could very well be barking their way to the Western Conference Finals in a few week’s time.
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