The Oklahoma City Thunder narrowly defeated the New Orleans Pelicans 94-92 in Game 1 of their first-round NBA Playoff series, but the Pelicans are determined to level the playing field in Game 2. The series shifts to New Orleans for Games 3 and 4, providing the Pelicans an opportunity to tie the best-of-seven matchup. The game will take place at 9:30 p.m. ET on Wednesday, April 24, and will be broadcast on TNT. Fans can also stream the game through DirecTV Stream or SlingTV.
The Pelicans gave a strong performance in Game 1, proving they can compete with the top seeds in the Western Conference. The upcoming game in New Orleans will be crucial for them to capitalize on home-court advantage and potentially even the series.
In other NBA news, Pascal Siakam continues to shine, becoming the first player in the last decade to have at least 73 points and 24 rebounds in the first two games of the playoffs. His efforts led the Indiana Pacers to their first road victory of this year’s opening round against the Milwaukee Bucks. This marked the first road win in these NBA playoffs, with Dallas following suit and evening their series against the Los Angeles Clippers.
The home teams have started the playoffs strong, but road teams are starting to make their presence felt. The Minnesota Timberwolves took a 2-0 lead in their series by defeating the Phoenix Suns in Game 1.
Wednesday’s national TV schedule for the NBA Playoffs includes:
– 7 p.m. — Miami Heat at Boston Celtics, TNT/TruTV
– 9:30 p.m. — New Orleans Pelicans at Oklahoma City Thunder, TNT/TruTV
According to BetMGM Sportsbook, the Boston Celtics are the favorites to win the championship with odds of +140. The defending champion Denver Nuggets are close behind at +240, followed by the Oklahoma City Thunder (+1400), Dallas Mavericks, Minnesota Timberwolves, and New York Knicks (+1600).
The NBA awards are also underway, with Tyrese Maxey of the Philadelphia 76ers winning Most Improved Player. The Sixth Man of the Year trophy will be awarded on Wednesday, with Sacramento’s Malik Monk, Milwaukee’s Bobby Portis, or Minnesota’s Naz Reid in contention. Clutch Player of the Year will be announced on Thursday, with Golden State’s Stephen Curry, Chicago’s DeMar DeRozan, or Oklahoma City’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander as the finalists.
