Sophomore star Jalen Williams opened up about the intense moment with the Pels’ Jonas Valanciunas. During the third quarter, the Paycom Center came alive when Williams barked at the crowd after a scuffle with the New Orleans Pelicans big man. While the fans kept guessing about the moment, the 23-year-old cleared the air with his statement.

Around the 9th-minute mark in the third quarter, Williams and Valanciunas engaged in a small battle to get possession of the ball. The OKC Thunder star held on to the ball but on the other end, the 6 ’11 big man lifted Williams along with the ball, leaving in the arena in a frenzy. On top of that, he screamed into the open air as refs blew the whistle for a jump ball. Meanwhile, J-Dub took a stroll on the court and barked at the fans. In response, the fans also barked back.

Speaking of that moment in the post-game press conference, J. Williams said, “Yelled in my face, picked me off the floor. I didn’t have a great response other than to bark.” And following that, a reporter asked about the fans’ response to the bark. He said, “Crazy. I didn’t expect that at all. Like I said it ended up making me bark… We have great fans. The best in the NBA.”

It wasn’t just that. The duo had several match-ups against each other near the paint, paving the way for a new rivalry. Despite that, Jalen Williams put up a decent fight dropping 19 points with 7 rebounds to help the side slide away with a 92-94 win. He also pitched in his prowess in the last quarter with a steal, two assists, and a point.

On the other hand, the Lithuanian center Jonas Valanciunas did what does best, an explosive rim protection service. He dropped 13 points with 20 rebounds in the team’s effort to upset the Thunder but stole the night with the intense battle. Did the intense moment ignite a new NBA rivalry? only time will tell

What to expect in the OKC-Pels series?

Earlier today, the Miami Heat took on the top-seeding Boston Celtics. The Celts dominated the short-handed Heat and registered a blowout 94-114 win. Similarly, the West top-seeding Thunder took on the 8th-seeding Pelicans, but it wasn’t a one-sided affair despite not having Zion Williamson on the line-up.

So, the result of this series can go in anyone’s favor as Game 1 stands tall as the proof. It was anybody’s game until the final buzzer. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander showcased his clutch prowess and won the game for the side. He dropped 28 points with 6 rebounds and 4 assists along with a clutch free throw to give a slight advantage at the end. Also, Shai may win his MVP trophy during the series, which could further boost his performance.

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On the other hand, Zion could return to the side anytime and it would further strengthen the post, making it difficult for the Thunder offense to penetrate the paint. This series also could lead to new rivalries and, importantly, grand entertainment for fans.

Who do you think will win the series? Let us know in the comments below.