- Oklahoma City overcame halftime deficit to win by 26 points
- Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 31 with 9 assists
- No players from either side recorded a double-double
Key takeaways: 5i3y63
Oklahoma City Thunder claimed the opening game of the Western Conference Finals in the NBA after defeating the Minnesota Timberwolves 114-88 (20:23, 24:25, 32:18, 38:22). The Timberwolves led by 4 points at half-time, but collapsed after the break as the regular season champions of the Western Conference ran away with a nearly 30-point victory on home court. 712q65
Thunder strikes first ⚡️ pic.twitter.com/zDWACytyyZ
— OKC THUNDER (@okcthunder) May 21, 2025
The win was largely thanks to guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who spent 37:42 minutes on the court, scoring 31 points, along with 5 rebounds and 9 assists. Minnesota’s top scorer was forward Julius Randle, who finished with 28 points, 1 rebound, and 1 assist.
Interestingly, no player from either team recorded a double-double. Besides SGA, who fell just one assist short, Minnesota’s guard Anthony Edwards came closest, posting 18 points and 9 rebounds in 36:34 minutes of play.
The next game in the series is set for May 22, in less than 48 hours, with Oklahoma again hosting before the series shifts to Minnesota for the following two games.