Steven Adams’ first triple-double in the NBA and his career-best assist tally were not enough to lead the New Orleans Pelicans to victory against the Kiwi centre’s former side, the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 21 points, George Hill hit the go-ahead free throws with 12 seconds left, and the Thunder pipped the Pelicans 111-110 on Wednesday (Thursday NZ time).
Adams’ no-look flick pass, behind his back, was the pick of his assists but the Pelicans went down to another narrow defeat.
Thunder coach Mark Daigneault, an assistant during Adams’ last season in Oklahoma City, wasn’t surprised to see the seven-footer finally get double-digit assists.
“He showed last year that when you play through him, he can glue your offence together and that was on display tonight,“ Daigneault said. “We made a couple mistakes on cuts and he really made us pay for it. That’s what makes him a really good player. He not only does the dirty work, but he can quarterback it a little bit, too.”
They had the final possession of the game and top scorers Brandon Ingram and Zion Williamson both touched the ball. But it was second-year reserve guard Nickeil Alexander-Walker who took the last shot from three-point range. It rimmed out with a couple of seconds remaining and neither team could control the rebound before the final horn sounded.
Darius Bazley had 20 points and 12 rebounds for Oklahoma City, who avenged a home loss to New Orleans last week while winning for just the second time in six games. Reserve forward Mike Muscala scored 18 points, hitting five three-pointers, and Hill finished with 13.
Williamson scored 29 points and Ingram 24. Steven Adams had 10 points, scoring five points in the final minutes, as well as 11 rebounds and 10 assists, a career high. He put the Pelicans up 104-100 with a putback while he was fouled and later gave New Orleans a 106-103 lead with 95 seconds left.