Oklahoma City Thunder defeated the Minnesota Timberwolves with a score of 118-103, thanks to an outstanding performance by their star, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who tied his playoff career-high with 38 points. This victory puts the Thunder with a 2-0 lead in the Western Conference Finals.
Gilgeous-Alexander, Unstoppable
The night at Paycom Center was memorable for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who celebrated his regular season MVP award with a stellar performance. The Canadian player proved his worth with 12 of 21 in field goals, one three-pointer, and 13 of 15 from the free throw line, in addition to adding three rebounds and eight assists.
The Thunder, who led the NBA with 68 regular season wins, solidified their home dominance, achieving a 7-1 record in these playoffs. Now, the Timberwolves will be forced to defend their court in at least one of the next two games to keep their hopes alive in the series.
The Oklahoma City team accelerated in the third quarter, with partials of 12-1 and 10-0, leaving Minnesota with no options.
Jalen Williams contributed 26 points, ten rebounds, and five assists, while Chet Holmgren added 24 points. The Thunder managed to contain Anthony Edwards’ reaction, remaining two wins away from reaching the Finals for the first time since 2012.
Anthony Edwards, for his part, scored 32 points, grabbed nine rebounds and dished out six assists for the Wolves, but his team could only keep up for a while against a more consistent Thunder.
Jaden McDaniels aported 22 points and Nickeil Alexander-Walker added 17 points off the bench for Minnesota. Julius Randle, who didn’t have a good night, was held to six points.
Paycom Center fans chanted “MVP” for Gilgeous-Alexander, who put on a display of his talent. At halftime, he had already accumulated 19 points with a six-of-nine field goal percentage, posing difficulties for the Wolves’ defense.
In the Wolves, Edwards was more aggressive compared to the first game, although with less accuracy. In two quarters, he took more shots than in the previous game, but only made 7 of 18 attempts, scoring 16 points.
The intensity of the game was high, but a 13-5 partial at the end of the first half made the difference in favor of the home team.
The third quarter was crucial for OKC, with Gilgeous-Alexander scoring eleven points and the Thunder securing an 82-65 lead, followed by a 10-0 run that extended the difference to 93-69.
The Wolves, without Randle in the final quarter, tried to come back, getting within ten points with three minutes left, but they did not achieve their goal.
The first two games of the series have shown OKC’s superiority, leaving the Wolves with the need to take advantage of their fans’ support.
