Just like that, the Oklahoma City Thunder are up 2-0 in their first round series against the New Orleans Pelicans after a dominant performance in Game 2. A lot of fingers are being pointed to Zion Williamson being out as the reason that this series is where it is, but the Thunder have proven in both matchups that they are ready for the bright lights that often exposes young teams. General manager Sam Presti and head coach Mark Daignault have prepared this team and they have come out with guns blazing through two games. A big part of that is the game plan that’s been employed, but even more credit needs to be given to the attitude and togetherness that the entire roster has shown all season long and carried into postseason play.

The Thunder are the youngest team ever to secure the number one seed in the Western Conference, with an average age of just 23.4, a number that is inflated by players like Bismack Biyombo and Mike Muscala, who haven’t seen any meaningful minutes so far in this series. They are led by their trio of youngsters; Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren. Gilgeous-Alexander has been near the top of the MVP discussions all season long and gives the Thunder someone to turn to to close games down the stretch when they find themselves in a dogfight. Interestingly though, the hero early in Game 2 was Chet Holmgren, who went for a season-high 20 points in the first half, helping the Thunder build a double-digit lead that they didn’t relinquish for the rest of the game.

OKC and the Boston Celtics are the only two teams in the NBA to be in the top five of both offensive and defensive efficiency this year, but it didn’t show in Game 1. Call it bright lights, call it playoff jitters, but the Thunder came out flat and uncharacteristically shot the ball poorly, allowing the Pelicans to build a lead and play from in front. Trey Murphy III picked up the slack for Zion Williamson, scoring 21 points and providing the floor spacing necessary for Brandon Ingram and CJ McCollum to operate in the mid-range.

Jonas Valanciunas has had his way in the paint in both games so far this series, and that might be by design. Obviously, people will point to the Thunder’s lack of size when talking about why they won’t win, and Valanciunas is one of the bigger centers that can take advantage and take control of a game from down low. The Thunder seem to be okay with letting that happen though, if it comes at the expense of letting Brandon Ingram or their shooters propel the team forward. It’s tough to get everyone involved offensively if you play through the post and you don’t have Nikola Jokić. If the Pelicans want to play that way, look for the Thunder to let them. If anything is evident through two games, it’s that OKC’s squad isn’t too young for this level of play and they are every bit deserving of the top seed they secured after a stellar season.