New Orleans, Nov. 11 (U.S.): Le Duort wrapped up one of the best shooting nights of the youth season with three free throws and a clutch to claim Oklahoma City’s third straight win.
Dort scored 27 points, Shay Gilgus Alexander added 24, and the Thunder beat the sagging New Orleans Pelicans 108-100 Thursday night, the Associated Press reported.
“I feel like I had to go up really hard,” Durt said, adding that the Thunder Guards “did a good job and found me cutting the basket. … When I get to the line, I just have to be confident.”
Dort made nine of 10 throws, his last three coming after Nickel Alexander Walker fouled him in the ocean as the shot clock finished with 2:18 from the end, giving Oklahoma City a 101-90 lead.
“I’m happy for him, but not surprised,” Thunder coach Mark Dennyolt said of Duart. “We have seen that he has his ups and downs and he is a resilient guy. He just keeps on competing. So, we knew he was going to break through at some point.”
Darius Bazley scored 14 points and Matt Moskala added 12 points to attempt three three-pointers.
Jonas Valanciunas scored 25 points and 15 rebounds for the Pelicans, who lost their eighth in a row, while relegating to 1-11.
“We all have to be better,” Valencionas said. “I know this sounds like a broken record, but we won’t give up.”
Alexander Walker scored 33 points and Devante Graham 18 for New Orleans, which entered the game without superstars Zion Williams and Brandon Ingram and became shorter when veteran Josh Hart was sent off in the first half.
“The guys who were on the floor competed,” said first-year Pelicans coach Willie Green. “But it’s not enough. When, No. 1, we’re not healthy and we lose men, it’s not enough. We all have to be in it together. If we lose a key man like we did tonight, it hurts.”
However, the Pelicans advanced 67-65 in the third quarter after Graham fed Jackson Hayes to cut a dunk. The Thunder took over 20-4 to wrap up the period with a 21-point lead when Kenrich Williams made the jump 96-75 with 7:51 left.
The Pelicans are back to nearly five points again when Alexander Walker, who scored 22 points in the fourth quarter, two free throws ahead of 1:08 from the left. But Gilgus Alexander—a cousin of Alexander Walker—responded with a 9-foot drag and never again threatened the pelicans.
“I didn’t think Shay had a good night for what he’s capable of and yet he’s still finding ways to influence the game,” Denyault said. “That’s what good players do. They have good bad days.”
Meanwhile, Giljus Alexander said of his cousin: “I’m glad he played so well and I’m glad he lost.”
Hints
Thunder: Rookie Josh Giddey, sixth pick in last summer’s draft, had 12 rebounds, nine assists and seven points, frustrating New Orleans with a string of assists. … Derek Vevers scored nine points in 21 minutes.
Pelicans: Ingram, one of New Orleans’ top scorers in the past two seasons, missed his sixth game in a row with a bruised thigh. “It’s more than that, he still feels,” Green said before his eloquence. “We don’t want to take him out with him we’re still in some pain. He does a really good job of just being aware of his place as much as his body feels. When the medical staff and Brandon feel he’s up, he’ll be ready. Until then, you just don’t want him back” . … Pelicans fell to 0-5 at home.
ignition of dust
The Pelicans led 39-31 after dunking Kyra Lewis Jr. in the second quarter, but then started to crash in more ways than one.
Josh Gedi’s back-to-back ball kicks began in the 15-0 Thunder run as the Pelicans were called into the first two of the five assessed technical fouls in the period.
He lost his nerve after being called up for a foul as Dort jumped off his back to shoot a rebound and both players crashed to the ground. Officer Scott Foster assessed Hart’s technical error for arguing the call, then fired him after a second technical moment as Hart angrily continued to express his displeasure.
“It felt like I climbed straight,” Durt said. “It kind of hit me in the leg. I mean, it could have gone both ways but I felt like Scott had been there for a long time. He knows what he’s doing.”
the following
Thunder: Host Sacramento on Friday night.
Pelicans: Host the Brooklyn Club on Friday night.