He's the MVP! - ESPN react to Shai scores 28 Pts as top-seeded Thunder edge Pelicans 94-92 in Game 1

[Music] Trey Murphy led the way for the Pelicans but Shay gild Alexander an MVP candidate in this league 28 points six boards four assists Jaylen Williams had 19 L Dort played some exceptional defense how about CH hren in his NBA playoff debut a double double in five blocks that's what's really sticking out to me and time now to bring in TBS sports NBA Insider and Ryder Bill Ryder and Bill it's funny that the night cap game is the most entertaining one where we didn't have a 120 to 114 score but it was in the 90s and yet we were compelled to watch everything because you had these two teams that are relatively young and yet they had so many great defensive moments and then at the end we saw some of those Jitters come out right yeah you know it didn't feel like playoff basketball not screaming at the TVs here uh with you and Stanford what what an incredible game really important win by the Thunder and you're right that had the intensity and the feel and and The Angst in the nerves from those two teams of a playoff series that has the potential to really go either way nice job by the Thunder to win this thing what a missed Opportunity by New Orleans what a game let's talk about the missed opportunities for the New Orleans because down the stretch in that final minute they had turnovers out the Wazoo some very bad shot selection what would you have liked to seen from the way this p team operated late a little more calm you know it was the Thunder that we've all talked about as maybe the really talented team that that could come up short potentially their weakness being they're young not a lot of playoff experience maybe the nerves get them but that applies to the Pelicans too I what I'd like to see is a guy like CJ McCullum or maybe Brandon Ingram but he's trying to shake off that rust been back a little bit less than a handful of games since that injury but one of those guys who have been there and done that especially McCullum with some real playoff success in Portland be that calming influence slow things down talk to his guys not be frenzied instead you saw mome take some bad shots I was worried about the hero ball at the end which you noted he he did go herob ball wasn't able to get a shot off in time to at least have a chance on the rebound Second Chance points for his team and those nerves seem to spread to those guys herb Jones who had a great game as a great defender a great young player multiple turnovers and you just saw at the end New Orleans had a chance had a chance to steal the huge game and I want to say they entirely gave it away cuz Shay was amazing and chat was amazing but the Pelicans are going to be kicking themselves for not playing at the same level those last two minutes as they could have 100% now I'm really interested in your perspective here so CJ takes a shot do you agree with him taking the shot I know you didn't like the execution of it but would you have rather seen somebody like Brandon Ingram take the final shot potential game winner I don't mind if they drop a play for CJ McCullum and he's the guy that is there's a designed look but one-on-one hero ball 14 seconds left just going to let the shot clock tick down against some really impressive defensive guys that went at him with the Thunder lud dor in particular was incredible defensively for the Thunder no I don't mind the I don't mind CJ taking the shot but let's draw a play that's more than CJ just goes oneon-one Ingram had a pretty rough shooting night CJ did too but CJ was better in the second half so if it felt like he's the hot hand he's made a Conference Finals he's more of the veteran fine but I didn't love the way that it came about what you did love though is the way sgaa came to battle even after herb Jones trying to put the clamps on him and he did but look SGA still went up with a 30 piece and had some clutch shots late what did you like about the way SGA didn't fold he didn't seem to get a little too frenzy or nervous there and really roast the occasion like we've seen time in and timeout we were talking you and I with a couple minutes left in that back and forth of turnovers I think I said to you who whoever's the best player in the last two minutes of this game that team's going to win this basketball game not the best player in the game not the best player in the season turned out the best player in the last two minutes was the best player in the game and the best player in the season oh by the way maybe the second best player in the NBA this year cuz Shay's ability you're right to just shrug off the nerves and the turnovers on both sides and and the sense that things were getting away from a a Thunder team that that's a lot of pressure when you're the one seed and you're young you haven't done that and to just be calm and hit that shot and won and really just command the game at the end that's what an MVP does I don't know that he'll win the award but he'll he was second on my ballot that's what value is that's what a leader does I know he's been in the league for a while but he's still a really young guy and you just saw him rise up and be that player the Thunder needed literally in a playoff series when the game was on the line so when you look at game two as we try to digest what was the best game easily of the weekend right um in these early playoffs what do you think the Pelicans need to do in order to make sure they go to New Orleans tie at one so I think there's three things and I think one is just going to be trying to sell the opposite message that I just gave here on CBS Sports HQ not we had a missed opportunity but guys we're we're as good as the we can win this thing let's get our heads right that is that is number one number two is especially without Zion they've got to have their other stars and I'm going to say it again they're veterans and Brandon Ingram and CJ McCullum Step Up offensively you can't have nights where what bi was 5 of 17 I think McCullum was 9- 22 those guys have to play better and then the other thing which is a secret weapon maybe a matchup an interesting matchup this Thunder team is the best three-point shooting team in the NBA that this year by three-point shooting percentage but this Pelicans team were the second best team at defending the three and are as good at least in Perimeter defense as anybody out there Trey Murphy absolutely outstanding herb Jones outstanding Brandon Ingram really really good so they've just got to focus on that battle cuz in the first half in particular they made life really uncomfortable for the Thunder at the three-point line they harassed him on the perimeter keep that up hit some other shots on the offensive side maybe you can steal game two now when you look at this series it's probably going to go six or seven based on the way game one went who do you have the most confidence in to secure a first round series with win pass no just kidding uh you ain't getting off that easy all right so I would have comfortably taken the Pelicans if Zion hadn't been injured I know that seems a little ridiculous when you look at the one and the eight seed but both these teams are top 10 in offensive and defensive rating which is a really significant gauge of how deep teams can go in the postseason Thunder I know are top four in both and and the Pelicans aren't but still the Pelicans are really balanced they're really good they have some experience that this team this Thunder team does not have I like their matchups there's not a lot of size for Oklahoma City the problem is you still have to have the best player on the floor maybe not every night but three or four nights I'm not sure that's true without Zion Zion can be the best guy on the floor against Shay through the course of a seven game series enough to maybe tilt things in your favor without Zion not knowing when he's going to be back right now it still feels like the Thunder but you're right it's going to be I think it's going to be six or seven I think people don't realize how good this neon teams was over the course of the year and I think the matchup favors neuron to a degree even though they're playing the one seed so there's time for that to go the other way but I'll give the Thunder a slide Edge largely because of SGA okay SGA yeah playing like an MVP and if nikic Nikola yic wasn't playing if he didn't exist he's probably ho hosting or hoisting his first ever NBA MVP Bill Ryder always breaking it down to us as special as always now here's the rest of the series so game two is going to be Wednesday at OKC and then Saturday traveling to New Orleans 3:30 game four will be in New Orleans as well that time still to be [Music] [Music] hello [Music] [Music] fore [Music] for for [Music] spe [Music] and e for spee e hello foree spee this e for e let me to