Shai Gilgeous-Alexander leads OKC Thunder to victory over Pelicans in Western Conference play-in tournament

OKC Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander put up a scintillating performance against the New Orleans Pelicans in the play-in tournament. With the Thunder battling for a playoff spot, Gilgeous-Alexander came up with a 32-point performance to lead his side to victory.

The 10th-seeded OKC had a memorable regular season. Led by the star duo of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Josh Giddey, the Thunder managed to secure a spot in the play-in tournament. Now, after a hard-fought battle against the New Orleans Pelicans, OKC has a chance of making it to the playoffs.

After an underwhelming first half, SGA caught fire in the third quarter. Putting up 17 points, he put OKC in a position to compete for the win.

In the fourth quarter, OKC was down 113-114 with less than 30 seconds to play. Shai pulled out a moment of magic in this clutch situation. Gilgeous-Alexander drove down the left side towards the baseline and hit a tough sweeping layup over Herb Jones.

With a one-point lead, OKC held off the Pelicans for as long as they could. Giddey, Lu Dort and SGA showed immense poise down the stretch as they knocked down all of their free throws to prevent New Orleans from closing the gap.

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Can Shai Gilgeous-Alexander lead the OKC Thunder to the playoffs?

The notion of the OKC Thunder being in the playoffs isn't a pipe dream anymore. In many ways, it feels like destiny for OKC. With Shai Gilgeous-Alexander knocking on the door to superstardom, the Thunder could very well be a team to watch out for.

However, OKC's road to the playoffs will be a challenging one. The Minnesota Timberwolves, who are coming off a loss to the LA Lakers, are a highly potent team in their own right. Against Karl-Anthony Towns and Anthony Edwards, the Thunder defense will have their hands full.

Shai, however, could be the difference-maker. His average of 31.4 points per game this season makes him one of the hardest players to guard. With Minnesota missing its key defensive players, OKC could have enough opportunities to overwhelm it.