The New Orleans Pelicans couldn’t pull off a major upset, and C.J. McCollum missed the three-pointer that would have secured the win for his team.
We witnessed an incredibly intriguing NBA playoffs game between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the New Orleans Pelicans. Despite the home team being the favorite, the game remained close with just one possession difference throughout. Everything came down to the final two possessions.
First, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored to take the lead with 20 seconds remaining. Following that, C.J. McCollum had the opportunity to clinch victory for his team, but after an excellent defense by Lu Dort, he missed the three-point shot, and the score remained 94:92. The outstanding guard congratulated the opponent on their excellent defense after the game.
“I got the switch,” McCollum said. “I should have attacked a little earlier, a little faster. But credit, it was good defense. … I thought it was cash and I missed it long.”
“We had quality shots coming down the stretch that we just didn’t make, and it came down to the final play. Our guys fought all night. Defense was solid. Game plan was executed at a high level. We’ve got to knock down some shots.
We’re physical with them, they’re physical with us and that’s a part of the game. That’s a part of playoff basketball.”