Timberwolves 88 vs 114 Thunder summary, stats, scores and highlights | Western Conference Finals Game 1
SGA and the Thunder give some of the best post game interviews in the league. They are always huddled up around the MVP of the game, and usually have a wise crack or two ready. SGA was calm, cool and collected after the win knowing there is still a long way to go in this series. He also knows that there need to be some adjustments from Game 1 to 2, but he's not spilling any of his secrets.
As always Alex Caruso had a big impact on the defensive and offensive end. The vet of this team, at 31, brings some much off the bench and the rest of the team feeds off his energy. He would help keep ANT quiet in the fourth quarter and carry this Thunder team to a Game 1 win.
They say defense wins championships and on Tuesday night from Paycom Center, the Thunder defense looked like a championship caliber defense, especially in the second half. They turned the Wolves over 17 times and held them to just 40 points in the final 24 minutes.
SGA outshined Anthony Edwards to twisted his ankle in the first half of the game and had to go back to the locker room. He returned and didn't look to be too affected by his ankle but he got blanked in the 4 quarter and ended up with just 18 points after scoring 13 in the 1st half.
We saw this in Game 7 against the Denver Nuggets, SGA setting the tone and Jalen Williams following in the shadows. He had 9 of his 19 in the third quarter points as the Thunder went on a 17-2 run to turn a deficit into a double digit lead.
The third quarter belonged to the Thunder. SGA started rolling after the some halftime adjustments and that opened the door for everyone else to get a piece of the pie.
SGA was kept quiet in the second half, but you knew he was going to have his say before it was all said and done. He had 11 points in the first half, and ended with 31.
Julius Randle had 5 threes and 20 points in the first half, but like the rest of the Wolves he disappeared after the half time break. The Wolves dominated the first half, and kept SGA to just 2/11 from the field but only went into the break up by four.
The Wolves had a lot of trouble against the high pressure defense from OKC and their turnovers turned into easy points for the Thunder on the other end. They had 6 TOs in the first quarter and most of those led to points for the home team.
Anthony Edwards took over in the first half, doing it both on the offensive and defensive end. He came into this game wanting to make some noise after all the talk about SGA for MVP over the last week. He made noise in the first half, but not so much in the second half.
The Oklahoma City Thunder went into Game 1 on a short rest after their grueling seven game series, and took the opener from Paycom Center. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the way with 31 points in the 114-88 win.
It was the Wolves who came out hot after almost a week's rest. Jaden McDaniels had five quick points to get Minnesota out of the gate early, but he would end up fouling out with just 7 points on the night.
Williams drills a three ball to bring and end to this game with a bang!
Jones with a three ball in the corner off the dish from Mitchell!
Joe to the line after the foul on Minott and he hits both FTs.
Shannon hits the jumper from the FT line.
Williams to the line after the foul on Reid and he hits both FTs.
Reid called for a foul and the Wolves are going to take a timeout with 2:01 to go. That might be Minnesota waving the white flag.
Caruso might have just sealed this game with a three ball from the top of the key with 3:00 to go!!!
Williams on the baseline alley oop off the lob from Wallace!
Randle spins to the bucket and stretches for the lay up out of the timeout.
Dort drills the three ball from the corner off the extra pass from Williams and the Wolves need a timeout!!!
Timeout with 4:24 to go.
SGA on the step back from the FT line. That's 30 for the future MVP.
Edwards kicks it out to Alexander-Walker and he drills the three ball!
SGA fouled by McDaniels, who just fouled out, and he hits one of two FTs.
SGA drives and lays it up over traffic. He's got 28 on the night!
Alexander-Walker drives and scoops it up and in off the glass over Holmgren.
Randle follows up his missed lay up with a tip in out of the timeout.
Randle turns it over and SGA breaks to the bucket, gets the leaner and the foul! FT is good after the foul on McDaniels!
7:00 to go in the 4th quarter!!
SGA missed the short pull up but Holmgren was there for the tip in. He's got six straight points and eight in the quarter!
Randle fouled by Wiggins and he hits both FTs with 7:40 to go in the 4th quarter.
SGA dumps it down to Holmgren this time and the 7 footer slams it home again!
Reid to the line after the foul on Caruso and he hits both FTs.
Wallace drives down the lane and dumps it off to Holmgren for the baseline jam.
Reid finger rolls it home after the seas parted in the lane.
Caruso saw the defense drop off and he drills the three ball from the top of the key!
Randle pulls up from in the lane and gets it to fall. Those are his first points of the second half after 20 in the first.
Holmgren was left open from the corner and he strings the three ball!
DiVincenzo strokes a three ball to beat the buzzer after the kick out from Reid!
WE ARE HEADING TO THE FINAL QUARTER AND THE THUNDER LEAD BY 10 AFTER A 17-2 RUN!!!
Clark to the line after the foul on Wallace and he hits one of two FTs.
SGA down the left side of the lane, got the foul and the bucket with the runner! FT is good after the on Edwards.
DiVincenzo snaps the run with a much needed three ball from the wing!
SGA with a step back jumper from outside of the lane and it's a double digit lead after a 17-2 Thunder run!
Williams with back to back buckets, this one a three ball from the top of the key!
K. Williams hits the pull up out of the break for his first points of the night.
The call was overturned and Alexander-Walker's foul is taken off the board, but OKC keep the ball.
Alexander-Walker called for a foul on SGA and the Wolves want to challenge with 3:03 to go in the 3rd quarter.
Edwards splits a couple defenders on the drive to the rack and he lays it up and in off the glass.
SGA rips Reid and Williams goes down the lane with an up and under move!
Timeout Wolves with 4:19 to go in the third quarter!
SGA follows up his own miss and putsit back up and in.
SGA gets inside the paint, steps back and hits the jumper from the FT line.
Timeout Wolves with 5:25 to go in the 3rd quarter.
Willams into to the lane and he floats it up and on in the runner.
Gobert fouled by Hartenstein but he misses both FTs.
Williams on the step back from outside the lane and he hits the short J.
Conley in the corner off the kickout from Edwards and he hits the three!
Timeout OKC with 7:22 to go in the 3rd quarter.
Edwards spots up from the top of the key and he drills the three ball!
Joe finds Hartenstein in the lane and the big man gets the floater to fall.
Conley to the line after the foul on SGA and he hits both FTs.
SGA with the step back and he gets the bucket and the foul on McDaniels! FT is good.
McDaniels pulls up from the elbow and hits the mid range J. Those are his first points since the first five points of the game.
Holmgren to the line after the foul on McDaniels and he hits both FTs.
Conley into the lane and he gets the floater to fall.
SGA with the steal off the bad pass from Rudy and Holmgren gets the hook shot to fall. Thunder lead for the first time since the 1st quarter.
Williams drills a three ball from the wing to start the half off!
WE ARE BACK IN OKC FOR THE SECOND HALF OF GAME 1!
SGA is just 2/13 from the field and you have to give the Wolves defense a whole lot of credit for his poor shooting start. They are giving him multiple looks, and making sure he is picked up as soon as he crosses half court. He's got 11 points because he's 7/9 from the FT line.
Julius Randle has been sizzling from downtown tonight. He's 5/6 from downtown for a playoff career high and he's got 20 points after two quarters.
The Wolves were controlling the game, but they kept on giving up turnovers and that got OKC into the game little by little.
Anthony Edwards knew he was going to have to bring it tonight and he's doing it on both ends.
The Wolves came in rested and refreshed and they looked the more eager team off the tip. McDaniels had the first five points of the game, but didn't score after that.
WE ARE HEADING TO THE HALFTIME BREAK AND THE WOLVES HAVE BEEN UP FOR THE FIRST TWO QUARTERS BUT THE THUNDER ARE RIGHT THERE.
Joe to the line after Williams came up with a steal but missed the lay up. Joe was fouled by Randle on the follow and he hits both FTs.
Williams into the lane and he banks it home from close range.
Edwards went up for a post slam, and he'll end up going to the line after the foul on Dort. He hits one of two FTs wit 35 seconds left in the first half.
SGA to the line after the foul on Edwards and he hits both FTs.
Edwards to the line after the foul on Caruso and he hits both FTs.
Edwards off the screen from McDaniels and he pops a three from the wing! That's 10 for ANT.
Holmgren dumps it down for Dort for the jam down low.
Randle to the line after the foul on Hartenstein and he hits both FTs.
Kickout from SGA to Wallace and he strokes the three ball from the wing!
Timeout MIN with 3:19 to go in the 1st half.
Reid with a bounce pass on the baseline to Gobert who finishes with a flush.
Holmgren puts it on the deck, stops in the lane, turns and hits the fader over Rudy.
Randle has caught fire in this first half! He's got 18 after that three ball from the wing! He's 5/6 from downtown!
Randle turns around on the baseline and hits the mid range fader. He's got 15 on the night.
Wiggins drives to the lane and he scoops it up and in off the glas.
Alexander-Walker int he corner and he sinks it off the dish from DiVincenzo!
Timeout Thunder with 7:01 to go in the 2nd quarter.
Hartenstein on the floater down the lane and he gets it go fall off another floater from Williams.
Randle with another three ball! is 4/5 from downtown. This one goes down from the wing!
Caruso draws the offensive foul on Randle and drains the three ball of the Wallace offensive rebound and kick out!
Conley with the extra pass to Randle at the top of the key and he strings the three ball!!
Williams back to Hartenstein, this time on the alley oop and the big man slams it home.
Hartenstein with the floater down the lane off the dish from Williams.
Randle to the line after the foul on Williams and he hits one of two FTs.
The Wolves turned it six times in that first quarter and that was a big reason the Thunder got going on the offensive end.
WE ARE AT THE END OF THE FIRST QUARTER!!!
Edwards has 7, Randle has 6 and McDaniels had the first five. SGA's got 9 of the Thunders 20 after one quarter.
Edwards to the line after the foul on Joe. Edwards might have come down awkwardly on his ankle, but he hits one of two FTs.
Alexander-Walker missed the three but Clark was there for the rebound and put back down low.
SGA kicks it out to Joe who spots up from the wing and rattles home a three!
SGA called for a defensive three second and ANT hits the FT.
Holmgren to the line after the foul on Reid, that's his second, but Holmgren misses both FTs.
Timeout Thunder with 3:10 to go in the first quarter.
Reid backs into the lane and swings it to DiVincenzo who drills the corner three!
McDaniels with another Wolves turnover and that leads to a transition slam from Williams!
Williams to the line after the foul on Edwards and he hits both FTs.
SGA pulls up from the elbow and he's got nine points already!
Quick start from MIN, who were led by McDaniels and Edwards out of the gate, but SGA came chipping into the lead with 7 of the OKC 11 points.
Randle in the corner and he sinks the three ball off the dish from McDaniels!
Timeout Thunder with 6:21 to go in the first quarter!
Randle lost it down low and Wallace started the break, lobbing it up to Hartenstein who slammed down the alley oop!
SGA wiggles into the paint and spins it off the glass with the lay up.
Randle puts himself on the board with a three ball off the dribble from the wing!
SGA back to the line after the foul on Randle and he hits one of two FTs.
Edwards called for a tech for tossing the ball at SGA who was on the ground, and SGA makes the FT. McDaniels was called for the foul on SGA which sent him to the ground and he hits both FTs.
Edwards pulls up from the wing and hits the deep two. He's got 5 early points.
SGA drives to the cup off the Edwards turnover, and he dumps it off for Hartenstein on the slam down the lane.
Gobert just picked up his second foul less than 100 seconds into this game.
SGA to the line after the foul on Gobert and he hits one of two FTs.
Edwards steps back from the top of the key and hits the three ball over Holmgren!
McDaniels with back to back buckets, this one from the FT line and he's got 5 quick points.
McDaniels starts the game off with a three ball from the top of the key and MIN would love to see him get going early.
GAME 1 IS UNDERWAY FROM PAYCOM CENTER!!!
ANT's moment to shine
Most of the talk over the last week has circled around SGA. In the meantime, ANT Man wasn't just resting, he was listening. He knows SGA is geared to win the MVP, but he's got another trophy on his mind. Game 1 is going to set the tone for the rest of the series and you know Edwards will be wanting to set the tone.
TIP OFF TO GAME 1 OF THE WESTERN CONFERENCE FINALS IS JUST THREE MINUTES AWAY!!!
Wolves starters
This team is rested, refreshed and ready to go. The Wolves have been waiting for this moment since getting bounced in the WCF last year. It's a bit of a different looking team, but they are back on this stage and looking to get to the NBA Finals. It starts with these guys. Conley, Edwards, McDaniels, Randle and Rudy will start the night off for Minnesota.
Season series all square
These two teams are set for a potential seven game series, but before the postseason started Minnesota and Oklahoma City played four times. They split that series 2-2 with each team winning one game at home and one game on the road. The first meeting came on New Years Day when the Thunder beat the Wolves 113-105 in OKC. They played three times in a span of four games, and the Wolves won two of those three games. The first came right before the All-Star break, when the Wolves won 116-101. Then a back to back series right after the break was split be both teams. The Thunder won in Minnesota 130-123, but the Wolves answered back in the next game with a 131-128 OT win.
Thunder starting five
It's the starting five that got them here so why change it now? This has been the best team in the league and a large part of that comes down to these guys. It's SGA, Lu Dort, J. Willams, Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein to tip off Game 1 from OKC.
Injury report: Game 1
We have seen injuries become one of the stories of this postseason. Steph Curry went down last round with a hamstring. Jayson Tatum tore his achilles last round. Aaron Gordon had a hamstring problem in the last game against the Thunder. Those kinds of injury problems can swing a series, but fortunately for these two teams injuries have not been a problem. Both teams come in with a clean injury report which makes this series even more balanced coming into Game 1. Let’s hope we see that trend continues throughout the series.
Home cooking for OKC
The Thunder have earned the right to home court advantage throughout the playoffs and that means that if the Wolves or anyone else remaining in the playoffs are going to knock them out they are going to have to win at least one game in OKC. That proved to be quiet a tough task in the regular season, when they only lost six games of the 41 they played at home. They lost a game at home against Denver but in the postseason they are 5-1 from Paycom Center. Tonight is going to be a massive matchup against the Wolves who are much more rested than the Thunder are after their seven game series. They lost Game 1 at home against the Nuggets and had their backs against the ropes for most of that series. They will try to avoid putting themselves in that position tonight in Game 1.
The supporting cast
We can talk all we want about the stars of this series. Anthony Edwards and SGA are going to get plenty of attention for the next couple of weeks. They will lead their teams during this series, but the winner of the series is going to be the team that gets most production from the other guys. Both of these teams are deep and get contribution from everyone on the roster. Minnesota has Julius Randle as their second option on the offensive end, but there is also Jaden McDaniels, Naz Reid, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Donte DiVincenzo and Rudy Gobert. Meanwhile the Thunder have Jalen Williams as their second option, but Holmgren, Hartenstein, Lu Dort and Alex Caruso all make huge impacts for OKC. That’s what makes this matchup so interesting. Both of these teams were constructed to win a title, but only one will move on to the NBA Finals.
Last time they were here
The Wolves were at this stage of the postseason last year. They beat the Suns in a sweep, were taken to Game 7 by the Nuggets before beating them in Denver to move on to the Conference Finals. Sound familiar? That’s exactly the route that the Thunder have taken to the Conference Finals. Minnesota lost to the Mavs in five games during the last the WFC. Now they are back, taking on a Thunder team that hasn’t been to the Conference Finals since 2016 with KD, Russell Westbrook and James Harden. Most of the stars on OKC were in middle school or their early years of high school when the Thunder were here last.
More mature everyday
OKC talked about wanting to face off against the Nuggets. They wanted to play Nikola Jokic and the cast of past champions from just a couple years ago. There were some bumps in the road during the series and their inexperience showed late in some of the early games, but they seemed to adjust on the fly and mature as each and every game passed. That was never more evident than in Game 7 against the Nuggets. Now, in the WCF, they are going to have to beat a team that was here last year. The Thunder were a team built to be here, but usually there are some growing pains along the way. They seem to be learning and gaining invaluable experience day by day. We will see how they come out against a team that is deep, athletic and rested.
Caruso carrying OKC
The OKC Thunder are not only one of the best teams in the league, they are also one of the youngest teams in the league. Their veteran and the guy the rest of the youngsters call “Unc” is just 31 years old, but Alex Caruso was a pivotal part of the Thunder’s series win last round. He came off the bench and provided energy, defense, some big buckets down the stretch and a veteran presence that this team needed desperately from time to time. He evened was matched up on Jokic for periods in Game 7 and did a fantastic job containing the Serbian in the blowout win. He is going to have to play that same role in this series against a team that is deeper and much more athletic than the Nuggets were.
New look NBA
This might be the new look of the future in the NBA. At the end of the playoffs, there will have been seven different champions over the last seven years. That means there is a changing of the guard and the dynasties and super teams are a thing of the past. That’s not to say these two teams can’t start dynasties but for now, we have a bunch of teams that have no idea what it is to win the NBA Title. Three of the four franchises have never lifted the O’Brien Trophy, and it’s been half a century since the Knicks have. ANT, SGA, Haliburton and Brunson are the stars of now, and their teams are now the new powerhouses in the NBA.
Star watch: Thunder
Ladies and gentleman, your unofficial MVP. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander may not have been awarded the Most Valuable Player trophy yet but it’s only a matter of time after the Thunder’s series win over Nikola Jokic and the Nuggets. When OKC went down 2-1 against Denver, SGA took a lot of heat as the leader of this team. He responded and carried his team to three wins in four games to close out the series, all the while scoring 30+ in five of the seven games in the series. He is a calming presence on the court and voice in the locker room. He knows the job is far from done, and seems to be locked in on the Thunder’s objective; the first NBA Title in franchise history.
Star watch: Wolves
The Thunder might have the MVP of the league, but it seems like everyone is gearing up for Anthony Edwards to be the new face of the league. He says he doesn’t want that label, but when you play like he does at his age you can’t avoid people expecting you to take the torch. The last two series only added to that speculation after he took down LeBron’s Lakers and Curry’s Warriors. Those guys are on their last leg, and Edwards is just revving up. The 23 year old is already in his second Conference Finals, and after averaging 27.6 points, 5.7 rebounds and 4.5 assists this season he is getting 26.5, 8 and 6 in the postseason. If they Wolves are going to get to their first Finals ever, ANT will be the reason why.
How they got here: Thunder
After finishing at the top of the Western Conference last year but falling short of the Conference Finas last year, the Thunder were geared to make another run deep into the playoffs. With another year of experience and an MVP candidate with the keys to the car OKC they were at the top of the standings from wire to wire. They went to the All-Star Break 44-10 with a 14 game win streak from December to early January. They cruised to the one seed in the West and finished the season with the best record in the NBA, finishing 68-14 heading into the postseason. They smoked the 8 seed Memphis Grizzlies in four games but then met the Nuggets who took them all the way to Game 7.
How they got here: Wolves
The Wolves made an offseason trade that changed the chemistry of this team and it took a while to incorporate the new additions of Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo as Karl-Anthony Towns got shipped off to New York. A slow start had people questioning the offseason trade but they course corrected after the All-Star weekend. They were 32-29 but ended the season 17-4 and avoided the Play-In Tournament. That set them up with a 3 vs. 6 match up with the Los Angeles Lakers and they took care of Luka, LeBron and the Lake Show in five games. Then they took on the Warriors, but Stephen Curry got injured in Game 1 of that series and Minnesota rolled to a 4-1 series win and got to enjoy a few days off as the Nuggets and Thunder finished of their series.
We are live from OKC
Hello everyone and welcome the Paycom Center where the regular season’ champions are back home looking to start their Conference Finals series off on the right foot after a taxing seven game series against the Denver Nuggets. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander topped Nikola Jokic and most probably secured the MVP while carrying the Thunder to the WCF for the first time in almost a decade. The Timberwolves have been able to rest and recover after their second straight gentelman’s sweep. They have taken down LeBron, Luka and the Lakers, Steph, Jimmy, and the Warriors and now it’s time to turn their attention on the one seed in the West. It’s two of the up and coming teams looking to break down the barriers and get to the NBA Finals. First team to four wins, moves on.
Timberwolves vs. Thunder Game 1
It’s Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals from Oklahoma City! The top seed in the NBA is back home after a tough, long, seven game series that ended just a couple of days ago. They take on a six seed who are back at this stage of the playoffs for the second straight year. It’s the Oklahoma City Thunder taking on the Minnesota Timberwolves as we tip of the Conference Finals from Paycom Center and AS English will be with you all night providing live coverage, stats, highlights and analysis of tonight’s can’t miss match up.