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In a day filled with chaos across the league as teams jockey for playoff positioning one final time, OKC enjoyed an impromptu celebration of one of the greatest regular seasons in NBA history in front of a half-filled New Orleans crowd.
The Oklahoma City Thunder savored a 115-100 win over the helpless New Orleans Pelicans in their regular-season finale. It was another wire-to-wire victory as the former led by as many as 23 points.
Both teams sent out their bench to play this game out of necessity but for different reasons. The Thunder had nothing at stake as they clinched the first seed a month ago. The Pelicans also had nothing at stake as they just wanted to clock out for the last time in a miserable season that'll likely result in a clean house.
The Thunder had a fast start with an 11-2 run that forced the Pelicans to call a quick timeout. That didn't do much on the court. OKC exited the first quarter with a 38-19 lead. After that though, New Orleans uglified the game.
After being ruled out with ankle soreness after just two minutes, the Thunder missed Jaylin Williams' playmaking. They only scored 26 points in the second quarter and entered halftime with a decent — but not fearful — 64-49 lead over the Pelicans.
After the break, the Pelicans came out hot with a 13-5 run. Jeremiah Robinson-Earl's 3-pointer made it a 71-65 contest with a little over seven minutes left in the third frame. Uh oh. The Thunder were on the verge of blowing a 23-point lead. Sure, it's in a glorified exhibition, but that'd still leave a bad taste in your mouth.
The Thunder ensured that wouldn't happen. They answered with a 19-7 run to close out the third quarter and exited with a 90-72 lead. Aaron Wiggins and Branden Carlson resembled vintage Kobe and Shaq against the Pelicans' G League squad.
The fourth quarter turned into storytime. If the Thunder had a bench to clear, they likely would’ve. Instead, the rest of the game took a backseat to OKC's broadcast crew reminiscing on one of the greatest regular seasons ever and preparing to talk about the playoffs despite holding very little information on who they'll face in Game 1 next week.
The Thunder shot 42% from the field and went 9-of-47 (19.1%) from 3. They shot 24-of-27 on free throws. They had 16 assists on 41 baskets. Five Thunder players scored double-digit points.
Wiggins led the way with an efficient 28 points. Carlson had a career game with a 26-point double-double. Kenrich Williams tallied 17 points and 12 rebounds. Isaiah Joe scored 17 points but went 2-of-11 from 3.
Meanwhile, the Pelicans shot 39% from the field and went 7-of-38 (18.4%) from 3. They shot 23-of-30 on free throws. They had 22 assists on 35 baskets. Six Pelicans players scored double-digit points.
Antonio Reeves led the way with 20 points and six rebounds. Jamal Cain had 18 points and Lester Quinones had 17 points off the bench. Jose Alvarado finished with 14 points and four assists. Robinson-Earl tallied 10 points and 16 rebounds.
Most folks probably had other games on different screens during this one. That's the fun of the NBA's regular-season finale as all 30 teams finished their year by the late afternoon. It gives a March Madness feel. For the Thunder, it was about a chance to collect an easy win and close the book of one of the best regular seasons ever. They now prepare for the NBA playoffs and will enter as a heavy title favorite.
Let's look at Thunder player grades:
Aaron Wiggins: A-plus
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For another game, Wiggins enjoyed the temporary promotion of a role player to the Thunder's best scorer. The drive-heavy scorer took advantage of the additional on-ball reps left vacated by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's and Jalen Williams' absence.
Wiggins finished with 28 points on 8-of-18 shooting, seven rebounds and seven assists. He shot 2-of-6 from 3 and went 10-of-10 on free throws. He also had two steals.
Once Williams hurt his ankle, the ball was in Wiggins' hands even more often. He showed off his playmaking chops by kicking out to shooters when the Pelicans' defense collapsed on him. His jumper didn't swish in for him but drawing contact against New Orleans' third-string players was too easy.
It was a fun weekend for Wiggins. These last two games equaled getting whatever he wanted in a candy store. The games had zero consequences, which allowed the 26-year-old to gain a rhythm ahead of the playoffs and pretty up his stats.
Branden Carlson: A-plus
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Game 82 is always filled with funny stat lines from the end of the bench. Most teams sit out their best players and let their third-string guys eat until their stomachs are filled for one day. For the Thunder, that was Carlson going off for a career-best performance.
Carlson finished with 26 points on 10-of-18 shooting, 10 rebounds and two assists. He shot 2-of-8 from 3 and went 4-of-4 on free throws. He also had three blocks. Williams' ankle soreness allowed him to play 39 minutes.
In his last game, Carlson left it all on the floor. The seven-footer destroyed the Pelicans' non-existent paint defense as they had no centers play. Funny enough, his outside shot didn't go in despite being known as a stretch big. The shot-blocking also stood out.
Along with Adam Flagler and Alex Ducas, the three two-way players' seasons are done. They won't be eligible for the playoffs. It was nice to see all three get significant minutes and a chance to shine as they worked in the background all year.
Rewarding the ball movement with a BC bucketpic.twitter.com/VA769obT2e
— OKC THUNDER (@okcthunder) April 13, 2025
Kenrich Williams: A
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After Alvarado pulled off his sneaky inbound steal, Williams quickly returned the favor when he intercepted his pass at the next second. It shows that the 30-year-old only plays at one speed regardless of what's on the line — or in this case, what wasn't on the line.
Williams finished with 17 points on 8-of-18 shooting, 12 rebounds and two assists. He shot 0-of-7 from 3 and went 1-of-4 on free throws. He also had three steals.
After the Pelicans threatened a comeback, Williams was the calming presence that helped put the Thunder back up by a comfortable margin. He had most of his buckets scored near the rim against the Pelicans' lackadaisical defense.
Like Wiggins and Joe, Williams was another player who enjoyed putting up some stats in these two games with a role upgrade. He put the final touches on the best season of his career. He had a healthy campaign and his outside shooting continued to be a weapon. Hopefully, he can carve out a role in the playoffs.
Dillon Jones: B-minus
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Even though he isn't a two-way player, this is likely Jones' last game with significant minutes. He'll be buried on the playoff depth chart and barring a lopsided score, parked on the Thunder's bench. So it was nice to see him have his best game at the finale.
Jones finished with 13 points on 5-of-7 shooting, 10 rebounds and an assist. He shot 1-of-1 from 3 and 2-of-2 on free throws. He also had a steal.
These final two games saw Jones receive the starts. The first game was forgettable but he bounced back with a decent second game against the Pelicans. The defense continues to be a problem as he committed five fouls and was picked on by New Orleans.
That said, Jones has a long way to go as a contributor. The Thunder knew that when he was added in last year's draft. It was an adjustment going from the top option of a small school to a role player on a title contender. He's still a developmental project but zooming out, he's more comfortable now than he was at the start of the season.
Highlights:
This article originally appeared on OKC Thunder Wire: Player grades: Thunder end reg season with 115-100 win over Pelicans
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