Thunder Survive, Rookies Arrive in Game 1: Three Takeaways from OKC's First Playoff Win in Four Years

In a final score seen out of the 1990s, the Oklahoma City Thunder pulled off a thrilling win in the opener of its first round series.

Oklahoma City lived up to the "Loud City" nickname to the fullest extent in Game 1 of the Thunder's first round date with the New Orleans Pelicans.

Long before the game had even started, Paycom Center was filled with an energy not felt since the days of Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant. Nothing but white shirts covered the arena as Thunder fans awaited their first playoff experience in four years — five since actually being held on its home court. Even Tre Mann made an appearance in the crowd, supporting the city that he called home just a couple of months ago.

"It was amazing," Shai Gilgeous-Alexander said on Oklahoma City's home crowd. "They were exactly what I expected...perfect."

That energy, above anything else, carried the Thunder to a grueling 94-92 win that came down to the very last second. Pretty is the least attributable word to describe it — Oklahoma City struggled immensely to find the same quality of offense it has throughout its 57-win season, and most of its talent played an underwhelming game to their standards.

Still, like it has all year, the Thunder managed to sneak away with the series in its favor. The Pelicans equally struggled without their leading scorer in Zion Williamson, falling victim to their own poor offensive display at an even worse level. The next top scoring option down the ladder should've been Brandon Ingram, but the forward could only muster up 12 points on 5-of-17 shooting.

Here are three takeaways from Oklahoma City's Game 1 victory:

1. Resiliency is Key

Although it wasn't the ideal performance for the Thunder to open up its playoff run, the resiliency it displayed shows more promise than the final box score.

At several points throughout the contest, Oklahoma City lost ample amounts of momentum, allowing New Orleans to creep through and stay within reaching distance for most of the 48 minutes. This included a five-minute time period in the fourth quarter without a single field goal, changing the score from an 88-83 Thunder lead to a 90-88 deficit with 1:48 remaining.

Gilgeous-Alexander broke that stretch with a signature mid-range jumper, followed up by an electric and-one floater a minute later, bringing his point total up to a final of 28. Chet Holmgren caused some scares by missing first free throw attempt with 14 seconds to go, but knocked down Oklahoma City's 94th and final point.

All teams will go through tough times in the NBA Playoffs, no matter the seed or talent. It's just a given. The difference between the true contenders and those on the outside comes down to if it can overcome those times, which the Thunder proved it could do in Game 1. It's the type of game it easily could've let slip, taking it easier on a Williamson-less Pelicans and letting the pressure get to it.

The young roster didn't let it happen though. Instead, it calmed down and remained locked in even when it looked like an upset could happen, putting itself in the best possible position for a series win that it could've.

2. No Rookies Anymore

When trying to pinpoint the win on any one area in particular, nothing sticks out as much as the rookie duo of Chet Holmgren and Cason Wallace's wonderfully impressive night.

Neither player backed down in the first playoff game of their respective careers, giving Oklahoma City equally important defensive plays that defined the win. It started with Holmgren's game-altering block on Larry Nance Jr.'s layup attempt at the 55-second mark, directly transitioning into Gilgeous-Alexander's drought-ending shot. But then, Wallace took the spotlight.

The guard got the one-on-one matchup against CJ McCollum in the final possession of the game, as the Thunder desperately tried to hold off a potential game-winner. Wallace took that opportunity by poking the ball away from the veteran, causing him to stumble and put up a difficult leaning 3-pointer that clanked off the rim. Oklahoma City wins.

Holmgren finished the game with 15 points, 11 rebounds and five blocks, an all-around quality entry that made him the fifth player to record 15/10/5 in a playoff debut. Wallace's five points stand out a little less, but his presence as a defensive hound created quite a difficult night for McCollum.

Although the playoffs can be a challenging experience for rookies, Holmgren and Wallace made a crucial defensive impact on the game that can't go understated. Both will surely be All-Defensive players in the future, but are already showing off that capability now. And with how confident they look, are they really even rookies?

Gilgeous-Alexander doesn't seem to think so.

"I don't really consider them rookies anymore," the guard asserted.

3. Has to be Better

As many positives as there are to takeaway from last night's win, there are some concerns that need to be addressed if the Thunder want to get out of the first round.

It played a sloppy brand of offense that can't be seen again in the series, which included a 10-of-32 clip from behind the arc. There wasn't a whole lot of movement within much of its sets, some poor shot selection and a few carless turnovers that New Orleans captalized on. And all things considered, Gilgeous-Alexander didn't give the performance desired from an MVP contender, even if he stepped up in the clutch.

The lineups that Mark Daigneault utilized were also questionable at times throughout the contest. He opted to play a total of 11 players throughout the night, which is unusual for playoff basketball. Even though it was to give more opportunities to see who stood out from the bench rotation, it has to be narrowed as the series carries on for Oklahoma City to be at its best.

Which team can make the necessary adjustments is a determining factor on if the Thunder or Pelicans will come out on top. The series could swing if New Orleans figures it out just a little bit earlier, so Daigneault and company will have to improve on its game plan before Game 2 and prevent the flaws it showed in Game 1. When teams of the past haven't adjusted, it usually proved fatal.

It was both a bizarre game and win for Oklahoma City to gain, but it can't play that way again.

The Thunder will continue its first round series at Paycom Center on Wednesday, April 22 at 8:30 p.m. CT in Game 2, seeking the coveted 2-0 advantage leaving home.

Want to join the discussion? Like Inside the Thunder on Facebook and follow us on Twitter to stay up to date on all the latest Thunder news. You can also meet the team behind the coverage.