Thunder (45-33), Pelicans (43-34)
What little breathing room New Orleans had left in the Western Conference playoff race got a bit smaller Sunday, as Oklahoma City dealt the Pelicans a home defeat in a key head-to-head matchup. New Orleans started quickly, going up by 10 in the first half, but Oklahoma City rode a big second quarter from Paul George to take the lead. In the second half, the Thunder kept the Pelicans at arm’s length, eventually going up by double digits themselves. A late surge by New Orleans was too late, as OKC posted its first win over NOLA this season in three tries.