How the Thunder Can Ground the Pelicans: Three Keys to Getting Back on Track at Home
The Oklahoma City Thunder are back at Paycom Center, and while the building’s been a fortress for most of the season, they’ve hit a rare speed bump. For the first time since December 2023, OKC has dropped back-to-back games on their home floor. That’s unfamiliar territory for a team that’s made its name on energy, execution, and a deep roster that plays with purpose.
Now, the New Orleans Pelicans come to town - and while the Thunder will be without several key contributors, including Jalen Williams, Isaiah Hartenstein, Alex Caruso, Ajay Mitchell, and potentially Cason Wallace, this is still a matchup they can control. But it’s going to take focus, toughness, and attention to the little things.
Let’s break down the three areas where the Thunder can take command and get back in the win column.
1. Win the Point-of-Attack Battle
This is where OKC can set the tone - and potentially decide the game - right from the opening tip.
The Pelicans have had issues all season keeping guards in front of them. Their perimeter defense tends to break down when they’re forced to deal with multiple creators attacking off the bounce. That’s where the Thunder can strike, even without Jalen Williams in the lineup.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is the engine here. His ability to get into the paint consistently causes defenses to collapse and scrambles the back line. That opens up opportunities for shooters and cutters - and when OKC plays with pace and purpose, those looks come in rhythm.
With fewer playmakers available, the Thunder will need to simplify. Beat your man.
Force the help. Make the extra pass.
This isn’t about running complex sets - it’s about execution and pressure. If OKC can win those first matchups on the perimeter, they can make New Orleans chase all night long.
And when that happens, the Thunder’s lack of depth becomes less of a factor. It becomes a game about skill, spacing, and decision-making - all areas where OKC thrives.
2. Control the Defensive Glass - Or at Least Keep It Close
This is the Pelicans’ pressure point. They’re not an elite half-court offense, but they can flip games by dominating the glass and creating second-chance opportunities. That’s especially true with Zion Williamson in the mix - his combination of strength, bounce, and relentless effort makes him a nightmare around the rim.
With Isaiah Hartenstein sidelined, OKC loses one of their better interior anchors. That means rebounding can’t fall on just one or two guys - it has to be a team effort.
Guards need to stay engaged and crash down. Wings have to box out and get physical.
Everyone has to finish the play.
If the Thunder can limit second-chance points, they take away one of New Orleans’ best weapons. Force them to operate in the half court, and suddenly the Pelicans have to rely on execution rather than energy. That’s a win for OKC.
It doesn’t have to be perfect. But it can’t be lopsided. If the Thunder can hold their own on the boards - or at least avoid getting buried - they’ll be in control of the game’s tempo.
3. Make the Pelicans Win from the Outside
In most matchups, telling your defense to “let them shoot” sounds like a recipe for disaster. But this is one of those exceptions.
The Pelicans aren’t built to bomb away from deep. They’re at their best when they’re attacking the rim, getting downhill, and playing through Zion’s gravity inside. So the Thunder’s defensive game plan should be clear: protect the paint at all costs.
That means loading up on drives, showing help early, and making sure Williamson sees bodies every time he touches the ball. If that means giving up a few contested threes in the process, so be it.
The key word there is contested. You don’t want to leave shooters wide open, but you do want to funnel the offense toward lower-efficiency looks.
If New Orleans hits tough jumpers all night, you tip your cap. But over the course of 48 minutes, that’s not the shot profile you lose to very often.
For a short-handed Thunder squad, this kind of structure - forcing the Pelicans into jump-shot variance - is a smart way to manage the game and keep control of the flow.
Bottom Line
This doesn’t need to be a masterpiece. It needs to be disciplined.
The Thunder don’t have their full arsenal, but they still have the tools to win this game. Attack mismatches off the dribble.
Rebound like it’s a playoff game. Build a wall in the paint and make New Orleans prove they can win from the outside.
Do those three things, and OKC can snap the home skid, reassert their identity, and remind everyone why Paycom Center has been one of the toughest places to play in the league.
Even short-handed, this is still their house.