Thunder Beat Pelicans 126-109, Now 14-1

The Oklahoma City Thunder extended their dominant start to the 2025-26 NBA season with a 126-109 wire-to-wire victory over the New Orleans Pelicans on Monday night at the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans.

Chet Holmgren led the Thunder with 26 points and nine rebounds, while Shai Gilgeous-Alexander added 23 points and eight assists in just three quarters. Luguentz Dort contributed 17 points, and Isaiah Hartenstein recorded 16 points, seven rebounds and six assists. The win marked Oklahoma City's sixth consecutive victory and improved their league-best record to 14-1, despite missing key players like Jalen Williams throughout the season and Holmgren for several earlier games.

Oklahoma City wasted no time asserting control, jumping to a 24-8 lead in the first six minutes by capitalizing on six Pelicans turnovers for 13 points. The Thunder set a franchise record by scoring 49 points in the opening quarter, the second-highest total for any first quarter in NBA history behind only the Golden State Warriors' 55 in 2023. They maintained a double-digit advantage throughout, leading by as many as 30 points, though New Orleans mounted brief comebacks in the middle quarters.