‘Who is he?’ How Thunder ‘slapping’ Pelicans down 3 starters perfectly sums up dominance

After a 137-106 blowout win against the New Orleans Pelicans, Oklahoma City Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault highlighted Cason Wallace’s improved defense for a shorthanded team missing three of its starters amid a 7-0 start, which stood out to FanDuel’s Chandler Parsons. Daigneault could have spent time talking about and it would have been intriguing for most, considering all 12 active players scored in Sunday’s win, eight of them finished in double-digits.

Without All-Star Jalen Williams and Kenrich Williams, both of whom have yet to make their regular-season debut, and Chet Holmgren, who’s missed three consecutive games, the Thunder continue to flex its depth. For NBA analyst Chandler Parsons, the Thunder’s perfect start is a reflection of the front office’s critical moves over the years, while building a culture that young NBA players bought into, he said, per FanDuel Sports’ Run It Back.

“There are a lot of other small-market teams that are struggling and not winning as many games. So, I think you just look at the makeup and the character of these guys they go and find. Branden Carlson. Who is he? Throw him in the game last night, 19 minutes. He gives you 11 and five,” Parsons said. “Isaiah Joe is back. He just gives you 13 and five. Do you know how bad teams would struggle without three starters in the lineup that night? Not the Oklahoma City Thunder.

“Williams out. Dort out and Holmgren out, and they still slapped this team because it’s next man-up mentality. They go 11-12 deep, and this was the best team in the NBA against the worst team in the NBA, currently. But this team is just so prepared. They’re so professional.”

Chandler Parsons wowed by Thunder’s dominance amid injuries