Oklahoma City - Shai Gilgeous-Alexander dropped his head and drove to the basket, but took only a few steps before Jaden McDaniels pushed him from behind. The MVP's favorite guy landed next to him, but quickly got up when his layup came in for the celebration and celebration.
After drowsy in the first half, the Oklahoma City Thunder defeated the Minnesota Timberwolves in their first game 114-88, giving them a gaze. The declared victory gave the first seed a 1-0 series lead in the Western Conference Finals.
Early on, basketball was as ugly as expected. The two best defense abilities match. Thunder couldn't make any progress when the Timberwolves scored the first eight points. OKC exited the first quarter with a 23-20 deficit.
Julius Randle plays supernova against the Thunder. The 3-pointer in the first half shot hit 20 points, where he scored 6 points from the depths. Minnesota treats external spam as its ultimate equalizer without any problem. The Thunder kept their distance at 24 points in the frame and trailed only 48-44 in the half.
All factors are considered, not the worst deficit. ShaiGilgeous-Alexander scored 11 points, but he had to win them. As Minnesota's defense limits the quality of their half-time property, the rest of the Thunder cannot achieve.
Then the thunder flips the switch. Like they did all season, they brag in the third quarter to flip the scoreboard and create distance. The 20-5 run broke the game and supported OKC. The MVP candidate took over and Jalen Williams finally snatched from his funk.
Meanwhile, the Timberwolves became cold from outside. Luck ran out for them. The Thunders had a 32-18 scoring advantage in the third quarter, leading 76-66.
OKC continues to bury Minnesota in the fourth frame. Chet Holmgren sniffs out any faint hope of comeback and turns them into delusions. A 38-point period turns it from an interesting battle to another boring blowout, with the last few minutes of reserves.
The Thunder shot 50% from the field and scored 11 points (52.4%) from 3. They scored 26 and 21 free throws. They had 27 assists on 41 baskets. Four Thunder players scored double-digit points.
Gilgeous-Alexander led with effective 31 points and 9 assists. Williams scored 19 points and 8 rebounds. Homegren scored 15 points and 7 rebounds. Isaiah Hartenstein scored 12 points and 5 rebounds.
Meanwhile, Timberwolves shot 35% from the field and 15 from 51 shots (29.4). They had 18 assists on 29 baskets. Two Timberwolves players scored double digits.
Anthony Edwards is limited to 18 points and 9 rebounds. Randall led with 28 points and 8 rebounds. The rest of Minnesota's depth is undistributed because OKC hunts its non-existent golfer for the turnover.
It was just the first game, but it was Thunder's statement. Many believe Minnesota's defense could put the Thunder in trouble. Although it was early, they only needed halftime break to crack the code. OKC ran the Timberwolves out of the gym in the second half and took over the Timberwolves multiple times as many times this year.
Let's take a look at the results of the Thunder players:
Gilgeous-Alexander saw Nickeil Alexander-Walker in a defensive position and licked his seal. He walked to the right, his shoulders ramming out of his cousin, creating enough space to nail the mid-range jumper. This put Lei Sheng in the lead on the rest of the road after a 60-point deadlock.
Gilgeous-Alexander performed like a patient person who could win his MVP trophy. He scored 31 points, nine assists and five rebounds in 27 shots. He shot 4 from 3 but 11 of 14 free throws. He also stole three steals.
This playoff series is about producing ugly shots. This is not Denver's defense. The Timberwolves have been one of the best defensive teams of the year and have several defenders throwing at Gilgeous-Alexander. It just said that the plan has not been resolved. McDaniels fouled and Jaylen Clark was unable to reproduce his regular season magic.
While Gilgeous-Alexander can’t dominate the field in mid-range inefficient outings, his constant free throw trips make up for it. The Timberwolves were unable to defend the 26-year-old without a foul. Even his own family fell down because of his tricks.
Constant travel allows Gilgeous-Alexander to soak in the MVP hymn. When he scored 20 points in the second half and broke Minnesota's first game, he showed off with the attention of the entire NBA world and proved why he was one of the best players in the league.
Cut the baseline, Williams found an opening. Wallace attracted two defenders and gently threw the alley to his All-Star teammates. The highlight pass is the OKC crowd crazy because the fourth quarter turned into a mini party and the result is already known.
Williams scored 19 points, 8 rebounds and 5 assists on 18 shooting percentage points. He shot 1 from 3 and 4 free throws. He has five more steals.
The first half was slow and Williams beat the game with 13 points in the second half. The rhythm scorer flows out of the rest. He drove to the rim and finished traffic on multiple appearances to infuriate the Thunder's lead. This is the best shot we've seen from any playoffs at the age of 24. Everything looks slow and intentional.
The defense talked to himself. Williams is one of the best defenders for all the criticism of inconsistent scorers. Five steals indicate. When he destroyed the passing lanes in Minnesota. Randall was shut down in the next two quarters after the first half was hot. Naz Reid's name is not even mentioned.
This is Williams' thunder. It didn't always have to be 20 points, but he dug out some buckets and drove to the basket in the third quarter. When he looks like that, he deserves to be Gilgeous-Alexander's Robin.
Holmgren rolled into the basket and grabbed Gilgeous-Alexander's pass. Reid tried to steal the ball but spin around seven feet and slammed the ball. The 23-year-old is the ultimate goalkeeper in the fourth quarter. Whenever the Timberwolves threaten to make a comeback, he cleans up OKC's loss.
Holmgren scored 15 points, 7 rebounds and 3 assists in 6-of-9 shots. He shot 1 from 3 and 2 from 4 free throws. He has two blocks and a steal.
The fourth quarter was Holmgren's best playoffs as a scorer. He scored nine points on the scoreboard and stiffly armed the Timberwolves. Cutting to the basket produces a simple dunk. He had a big time outside the bucket. The seven-foot ball looked comfortable, and he held the ball in his hand and performed acrobatic moves.
The Thunder missed Homegren in these playoffs. If he can continue to be the third viable threat, it's hard for the Timberwolves to be ugly. On the other hand, everyone knows what he brings to defense. Elite shooting and edge deterrence.
When the Thunder escapes on the scoreboard, the first adjustment they might need to make if the Timberwolves win is to eliminate the double squad. Daigneault started Holmgren-Hartenstein Duo through all playoffs. Fighting Timberwolves may not be the series.
Hartenstein scored 12 points and 5 rebounds in 6 of 8 shots. He stole it, too. Four-man fouls limit him to 20 minutes. This is the least of OKC's starters.
It was no coincidence to see Thunder destroy the Timberwolves with a small ball lineup. That might be the secret weapon they pinched. While Hartenstein is a great addition, some games can cancel his contribution.
Wallace threw alleys at several of his teammates to lower Minnesota morale and accepted Magic Johnson's comparison. The 21-year-old is officially on the horizon of the playoffs and is one of the five best players to the Thunder.
Wallace scored 3 points on three shooting percentages, seven assists and three rebounds. He stole it, too.
Wallace fought Edwards, helping to shut down Timberwolves' superstar. The game is a surprising surprise. This is a sign of growth, as this is his becoming a textbook capture and shooter player, which he has focused on in the past offseasons.
Now you'll see Wallace dissect Minnesota's defense and find the easy bucket to cut teammates. Doing so in the playoff environment is the latest in the latest example of the 21-year-old establishing himself as a key component of the OKC core.
Williams collected dust in the first two rounds of the playoffs, waiting for his moment. The new playoff series means new role players can be a major game. The 30-year-old had a good match and looked like he was going to find his genius.
Williams scored eight points on three shooting percentages and three rebounds. He shot 2 from 3. He played 10 minutes on the bench and committed 3 fouls, but they were big 10 minutes.
The Thunder played in depth in the Western Conference Finals. Perhaps the Timberwolves are the ideal opponent to use Williams when considering their three-headed frontcourt monsters. You need all the players you can fight against them.