Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the charge with 31 points—20 of them coming in the second half—as the top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder cruised to a 114-88 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves in Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals on Tuesday night.
After a slow start, Gilgeous-Alexander found his rhythm, finishing 8-of-14 from the field in the second half and powering the Thunder to a dominant win. Despite early struggles, he stayed aggressive and trusted his preparation, sparking Oklahoma City’s offensive surge after halftime.
The Thunder’s defensive effort was equally impressive. Anthony Edwards, who had averaged 26.5 points per game during the postseason, was limited to just 18 points on 5-of-13 shooting. Minnesota’s Julius Randle scored 28 points, but managed only eight after the break as the Timberwolves' offense stalled.
Edwards acknowledged Oklahoma City's defensive pressure, noting their strategy of crowding the paint and forcing outside shots. He vowed to adjust his game, focusing more on off-ball movement to combat the Thunder’s swarming defense. Minnesota will look to bounce back in Game 2 on Thursday in Oklahoma City.
At halftime, the Timberwolves held a slim 48-44 lead thanks to Randle’s 20-point outburst and sharp three-point shooting. But Oklahoma City quickly flipped the script with a 10-0 third-quarter run to seize control. Contributions came from across the roster, including a spark from Kenrich Williams, who buried a midrange jumper and a three-pointer on consecutive possessions.
The Thunder outscored Minnesota 32-18 in the third quarter and carried a double-digit lead into the fourth. Chet Holmgren’s highlight-reel spinning dunk and a miraculous and-one finish from Gilgeous-Alexander energized the home crowd and put the game out of reach.
Despite a week of rest, Minnesota struggled to match the intensity of an Oklahoma City squad fresh off a Game 7 win over Denver. Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault praised his team's resilience, particularly after a poor shooting performance in the first half that saw them trail by only four.
With a convincing Game 1 win in hand, the Thunder have set the tone for the series. But Minnesota coach Chris Finch emphasized the quick turnaround and the opportunity to respond, saying, “It’s Game 1. They won at home. Congrats to them. They played really well. There’s another game in two days.”
