New Orleans Pelicans defeat Oklahoma City Thunder 116-110 in preseason opener

The New Orleans Pelicans defeated the Oklahoma City Thunder 116-110 in a preseason game held at the BOK Center in Tulsa. Despite building a 15-point halftime lead, the Thunder were unable to maintain their advantage after resting their starters in the second half.

With several key players such as Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Chet Holmgren inactive, the Thunder's younger players saw significant playing time. Bennett Stirtz led Oklahoma City with 15 points, six assists, and five rebounds. Aday Mara, the No. 12 pick in the 2026 draft, recorded a perfect shooting performance with 12 points on 5-of-5 from the field, alongside nine rebounds and three blocks. Other notable contributors included Josh Dix and Brooks Barnhizer, who both scored 12 and 11 points respectively.

The Pelicans secured the comeback victory behind a strong second half, outscoring the Thunder 38-26 in the third quarter and 26-17 in the final period. New Orleans' Bennedict Mathurin led the team with 13 points off the bench.