In response to the Oklahoma City Thunder's historic 49-point first quarter in Monday's 126-109 blowout win against the New Orleans Pelicans, head coach Mark Daigneault highlighted veteran Lu Dort's elite shooting. Dort connected on four threes in the opening frame and finished with 17 points as the Thunder's best regular-season start continues. Oklahoma City's 49 points are the most scored in a quarter in franchise history.
After the win, Daigneault talked about the Thunder's defense, which led to a high-powered offense that set the tone throughout the first quarter.
“Just great focus and preparation to start the game that way — both ends of the floor — I thought we were just really dialed in,” Daigneault said. “We drifted in and out of our best basketball tonight, but we certainly played our best basketball early, and to start the third as well.”
Dort's four threes helped the Thunder pad a 25-point lead (49-24) into the second quarter. He finished 5-for-9 from the floor, 4-of-6 deep. Oklahoma City connected on 17-of-42 (40.5%) from three.
“He's got great confidence — unwavering. I thought what was positive about that was that they started Missi on him,” Daigneault said. “They cross-matched him to start the game, which is another thing that we'll see, and that he's seen in the past. He went out there and shot the ball with confidence, which I think can shove some doubt into the opponents' game plan when they're doing something like that.
“And he also hasn't shot the ball well this year. So, I was happy to see him break out tonight and shoot the ball well. He looked like he had a great rhythm.”
Chet Holmgren led the Thunder with 26 points and nine rebounds. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander finished with 23 points on 5-of-9, including 3-for-5 from deep, eight assists, and three steals, and Isaiah Hartenstein added 16 points, six assists, and four steals.
The Thunder improved to 14-1.
Thunder connect on 40% from three in a win vs. Pelicans
While Mark Daigneault and the defending champion Thunder are on pace for the best record in NBA history, Monday's win against the Pelicans was one of the few games in which they shot 40% or better from behind the 3-point arc. The Thunder is in the top 10 in the lowest 3-point shooting percentage (34.8%) this season, which was bound to improve for a team that shot 37.4% from deep in 2024-25.
Isaiah Joe, the Thunder's most efficient 3-point shooter this season, connected on 4-of-10 from behind the arc against the Pelicans on Monday, as his impressive shooting streak of scoring at least one three in every game this season continued. Joe has combined for nine threes in his last three outings.
