Thunder Sweep Pelicans amid Zion Injury as NBA Fans Applaud Shai Gilgeous-Alexander | News, Scores, Highlights, Stats, and Rumors

The Oklahoma City Thunder are moving on to the second round of the playoffs for the first time since 2016 after beating the New Orleans Pelicans 97-89 Monday night.

The Thunder controlled the first three games of the series before a tightly contested Game 4. Ultimately, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led Oklahoma City past the Pelicans with a late 18-2 run. Gilgeous-Alexander finished the game with 24 points and 10 rebounds, and Jalen Williams added 24.

Not only is it Oklahoma City's first series win since the Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook era, it's just the second series sweep in franchise history, with the other being in 2012 when the Thunder reached the Finals.

After the win, fans praised the Thunder for taking care of business against the No. 8 seed.

Forrest Jordan @forrestjordan11

THUNDER UP BABY 🧹🧹🧹

Michael Martin @MichaelOnSports

The Thunder break out the brooms in NOLA.<br><br>OKC gets their 1st series win since 2016 and their 2nd ever sweep in franchise history.<br><br>An absolutely historic night that has been the culmination of a lot of hard work.<br><br>Enjoy this one to its fullest Thunder fans, you deserve it.

Oklahoma City Thunder France @OKCThunderFR

SGA. DAGGER. SWEEP.

StatMuse @statmuse

Thunder duo tonight:<br><br>Chet — Shai —<br>14 PTS 24 PTS<br>9 REB 10 REB<br>5 AST 2 BLK<br><br>What a pro wants. <a href="">

Ur_Crush @___Fobi

Get the brooms out… the thunder sweep the pelicans

Tomer Azarly @TomerAzarly

The winner of Clippers-Mavs is going to face an extremely well rested Thunder team.<br><br>OKC is about to sweep the Pelicans.

Rob Rottenbottom @RobRottenb

Thunder win 4-0 🧹 <br><br>Missed the Playoffs last year.<br><br>Talk about a turnaround…<a href="">#ThunderUp</a>

PrizePicks @PrizePicks

SGA looking at the MVP award <a href="">

𝙎𝙠𝙮𝙚𝙙⚡️🇦🇺 @SkyedOKC

THE OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER SWEEP THE NEW ORLEANS PELICANS AND ARE ADVANCING TO THE 2ND ROUND <a href="">

Gavin Braun @GavinBraun8

SGA is the best player in the NBA. Elite scorer

Joshua🤴🏾 @JoshMurdoc

WE DID IT Y'ALL WE DID IT I LOVE THIS TEAM 💙🧡💙🧡💙 <a href="">#Thunderup</a> <br><br>Shout out to the MVP SGA<br>Shout out to JDUB <br>Shout out Giddey as well he stepped up when he needed to. <a href="">

Mark Pope's Flattop @GingerMamba

SGA just led a Thunder team with a bunch of young studs and swept the pelicans in the first round of the playoffs. The Thunder were supposed to be rebuilding having traded all their nba all stars while loading up on draft picks. SGA should 100% be the MVP and it's not close

Kenny Levine @kenny_levine

Very impressed by the Thunder. I thought they would win the series but definitely didn't expect them to sweep

Shea Berend @sheadawgy

Bring the brooms out. <a href="">#Thunder</a> with the easy sweep. <a href="">#LightWork</a>

Mr. Feeny @Buchanan_615

Thunder sweep. Not bad for the "worst #1 seed ever" <a href="">

TJ Eckert @TJEckertKTUL

🧹Sweep complete🧹<br><br>The Oklahoma City Thunder take down the Pelicans in 4 games. <br><br>1st playoff sweep since 2012. 1st time advancing to the 2nd round since 2016. <br><br>Thunder all the way up. <a href="">#ThunderUp</a>

Now Oklahoma City will await the winner of the Dallas Mavericks and the Los Angeles Clippers. The series is currently tied at two games apiece, and the Thunder will have plenty of time to rest and scout their future opponent after picking up the sweep.

The Thunder are one of the youngest teams in the league, but they looked like a veteran group in Round 1 and were rewarded with a sweep.