Thunder vs. Pelicans instant analysis: New Orleans beats OKC after controversial call

NEW ORLEANS — The first official had it as a block against Herb Jones. The second official overruled the first, and signaled a charge against Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.

It was fitting that on a night when Gilgeous-Alexander made a career-high 16 free throws on 18 attempts that the game would come down to a block/charge call.

The Pelicans beat the Thunder 105-101 on Monday night thanks to Jones’ sacrificial, albeit controversial, play.

“I thought it was a block in the moment,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “I’m not reffing the game though. The referees made a call, they probably think it’s right, and that’s that.”

Two officials seeing it two ways, “that’s how close the play was,” said Thunder coach Mark Daigneault, who had already used his challenge to successfully reverse a goaltending call.

“I don’t really know to be honest with you,” Daigneault said. “I trust that they got it right.”

Jones, already an all-world defender in just his second season, played perhaps the best defense on Gilgeous-Alexander as anyone has all season.

“I thought it was more team defense,” Daigneault countered, “... but Jones is a really good defender.”

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Gilgeous-Alexander shot just 33% from the field — tying his least efficient game of the season — but still he finished with 31 points thanks to those 16 free throws.

“It’s keeping me afloat right now,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “I’m not shooting the greatest from the field, but trying to get to the free throw line.”

On one fourth-quarter drive, a pair of Pelicans put their hands on their heads as soon as SGA was granted another whistle. They were exasperated. Gilgeous-Alexander often evokes such emotions in defenders.

Meanwhile, Zion Williamson’s first and only free throw attempt didn’t come until the fourth quarter. It was a big one. Williamson drove and finished an and-1 to give the Pelicans a 103-101 lead with 44 seconds left.

Then came another crucial late-game call with 30 seconds left.

After winning a jump ball following an SGA turnover, Williamson, badgered by the Thunder, had a hard time bringing the ball past halfcourt.

Pelicans coach Willie Green sprinted off the Pelicans’ bench to call a timeout.

The shot clock showed 15, meaning an eight-second violation should have been called.

Or maybe not.

“I asked (official) James Williams about that,” Daigneault said. “He said (the shot clock) resets on the jump ball. He said the eight-second violation would’ve been at 11 (seconds), which is a technicality, and I’m assuming he’s right because he’s a lead official in the NBA.

The Thunder (8-12) had one last chance though after Williamson missed a 3-pointer.

Daigneault signaled for his team to run after the defensive rebound, and Gilgeous-Alexander ran right into Jones with two seconds left.

That was the ballgame.

Jones had one final laugh. He bounced an inbounds pass to himself off Aleksej Pokusevski’s backside, and Jones iced the game at the free throw line.

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SGA’s burden

The Thunder’s offense had one punch for most of Monday night, and that was Gilgeous-Alexander pounding his way to the free throw line.

“He was aggressive all night,” Daigneault said. “I thought a lot of the open shots we generated were off of his penetration.

“I thought he was a little stickier in the first half, and then was off it early and generated some really good looks for us down the stretch.

Gilgeous-Alexander was 7-of-21 and the Thunder shot just 37% as a team.

The Thunder stuck around, though.

OKC shot 4-of-10 from 3-point range in the fourth quarter, including a Jeremiah Robinson-Earl triple that put the Thunder ahead 101-100 with 53 seconds left.

Those were the Thunder’s last points.

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Containing Zion Williamson

Robinson-Earl got the unenviable assignment against Pelicans star Zion Williamson.

Credit Robinson-Earl, because he strapped on his shoulder pads and hung tough.

“He had his chest on him all night,” Daigneault said. “(Williamson) only shot one free throw, which is very rare for him. I think it’s a credit to Jeremiah and his individual (defense) and also the team defense.”

Williamson still had 23 points, eight rebounds and eight assists, but the Thunder frustrated him. Williamson, pleading for a foul, picked up his first career technical two minutes into the game.

“He’s a really physical, strong, gets-to-the-rim-whenever-he-wants-to kind of player,” Robinson-Earl said. “You just have to bring that physicality back to him.”

Robinson-Earl had a double-double with 10 points and 13 rebounds.

Williamson led the Pelicans on a night when New Orleans was missing two-thirds of its big three in Brandon Ingram (left big toe contusion) and CJ McCollum (return to competition reconditioning).

The Pelicans (12-8) are a juggernaut, especially at full health. They rank among the top-six in the NBA in both offense and defense.

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Offensive rebound swing

The Pelicans grabbed a whopping nine offensive rebounds … in the first quarter.

The Thunder entered the night tied with the Knicks for most offensive rebounds allowed per game (12.5), but nine in one quarter? That was far too many even by Thunder standards.

The Thunder cleaned things up in the second quarter, leaving the Pelicans with a goose egg in the offensive rebounds column.

In fact, OKC finished the game with an 18-14 edge in offensive boards.

Robinson-Earl had five. Gilgeous-Alexander and Pokusevski had three.

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Thunder tip-ins

• It’s worth monitoring SGA’s status for Wednesday, when the Thunder hosts the Spurs. Gilgeous-Alexander landed on his tailbone in a scary second-half fall. He said he was “OK,” but Gilgeous-Alexander looked to be in quite a bit of pain even as he sat for his postgame press conference.

• Gilgeous-Alexander stayed in the game after the fall. He logged a team-high 36 minutes.

• Daigneault wasn’t pleased with the Thunder’s defense early on. He called two timeouts, two minutes apart, midway through the first quarter.

• Gilgeous-Alexander went the first seven minutes of the game without a field goal attempt.

• Pelicans forward Trey Murphy III, known most for his 3-point shooting, threw down a couple of vicious dunks on his way to 20 points.

• The Thunder forced the Pelicans into 22 turnovers. Two nights before, OKC forced Houston into 24 turnovers.

• Aaron Wiggins and Isaiah Joe did not play (coach’s decision).

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: New Orleans Pelicans beat OKC Thunder after Herb Jones' late charge