Jan 6, 2021; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder center Al Horford (42) and forward Darius Bazley (7) and guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) talk in the fourth quarter against the New Orleans Pelicans at the Smoothie King Center. Mandatory Credit: Chuck Cook-USA TODAY Sports
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 21 points and George Hill made two free throws with 12.1 seconds remaining to lift the visiting Oklahoma City Thunder to a 111-110 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans on Wednesday night.
Darius Bazley had 20 points and 12 rebounds, Mike Muscala scored 18 and Hill finished with 13.
Zion Williamson led the way for the Pelicans with 29 points, Brandon Ingram had 24 points and 11 rebounds, and Lonzo Ball scored 15. Eric Bledsoe and Nickeil Alexander-Walker chipped in with 13 points each and Steven Adams had 10 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists.
The Pelicans led by five points at halftime, but Bazley scored the first 11 points of the third quarter.
Ingram ended the run by making two free throws, but Al Horford made a 3-pointer and Bazley hit consecutive baskets to give OKC a 72-61 lead.
Williamson scored four points during a 6-0 New Orleans run, but Gilgeous-Alexander scored 10 points as the Thunder rebuilt their lead to 14.
Williamson and Bledsoe made consecutive baskets as the Pelicans cut the deficit to 88-78 at the end of the third quarter.
New Orleans scored the first nine points of the fourth quarter but Muscala negated that by making three consecutive 3-pointers.
Five points by Alexander-Walker started a 12-0 run that ended with Ball’s three-point play giving New Orleans a 99-97 lead.
Hill ended the run with a 3-pointer that put OKC back on top with four minutes left.
Williamson’s layup and Adams’ three-point play gave the Pelicans a 104-100 lead.
Horford’s 3-pointer and Gilgeous-Alexander’s three-point play tied the score.
Ingram’s jumper broke the tie, but Gilgeous-Alexander made three free throws to give the Thunder a 109-108 lead with 47 seconds left.
Williamson’s basket put New Orleans ahead, but Hill made the decisive free throws before Alexander-Walker missed a 3-pointer in the final seconds.
The Pelicans outscored the Thunder 16-8 in the paint on their way to a 34-26 advantage after the first quarter.
OKC rallied to take a six-point lead midway through the second quarter, but New Orleans finished with an 18-7 run to take a 59-54 halftime lead.