Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander overcame a slow start to score 31 points and dish out nine assists, guiding the Thunder to a convincing 114-88 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves in Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals on Tuesday night in Oklahoma City.
Despite struggling early against Minnesota’s defense — shooting just 2-of-13 in the first half — Gilgeous-Alexander found his groove after halftime, scoring 12 points in the third quarter alone as the Thunder outscored the Timberwolves 32-18 to swing momentum decisively.
Coach Mark Daigneault’s decision to move Gilgeous-Alexander off the ball proved key, allowing the likely MVP to unlock his scoring rhythm.
The highlight came with seven minutes remaining in the fourth quarter when Gilgeous-Alexander drove to the basket, seemingly falling, but flipped the ball in mid-air for a basket plus a foul.
He converted the ensuing free throw to extend Oklahoma City’s lead to 14 points.
The Thunder’s defense was the real game-changer, forcing 19 turnovers and scoring 31 points off those miscues.
Oklahoma City also capitalized on their opponents’ mistakes, with Minnesota scoring only 10 points off 15 Thunder turnovers.
Jalen Williams supported the effort with 19 points and eight rebounds, while Chet Holmgren added 15 points and seven boards. Oklahoma City shot an efficient 50 percent from the field and nailed over half their three-pointers (11 of 21).
For Minnesota, Julius Randle was the standout performer with 28 points — including 20 in the first half — but cooled off in the second half after a hot start.
Anthony Edwards added 18 points and nine rebounds but saw limited fourth-quarter minutes, attempting only one shot in the final period.
The Thunder’s emphatic Game 1 victory sets the tone for what promises to be an intense Western Conference Finals series.
