Sign in Subscribe
Professional basketball

Thunder Rolls: Oklahoma City Dominates Minnesota in Western Conference Finals

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

The Oklahoma City Thunder, led by the MVP form of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, convincingly defeated the Minnesota Timberwolves 118-103 in Game 2 of the Western Conference finals, raising the Thunder's season record to an astonishing 78-17. Gilgeous-Alexander poured in 38 points and added eight assists, guiding the Thunder to their sixth double-digit win of the playoffs, while the Timberwolves, who have never recovered from a 2-0 deficit to win a playoff series, struggled to contain the Thunder's potent offense.

Key Takeaways:

  • The Thunder have now won two straight games, with an average margin of victory of 20.5 points, mirroring their 54 double-digit wins in the regular season.
  • Oklahoma City has posted an NBA-record 78-17 record across the regular season and playoffs, with a 12.9-point average margin of victory in the regular season and 14.1 points in the playoffs.
  • Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has been masterful in his MVP form, scoring 38 points and adding eight assists, guiding the Thunder to their sixth double-digit win of the playoffs.
  • The Timberwolves have struggled to contain the Thunder's offense, shooting 11 for 39 (28.2 percent) on three-pointers and 36 for 57 (63.2 percent) inside the arc.
  • Minnesota's stars, Anthony Edwards and Julius Randle, have yet to align against the Thunder, with Edwards scoring 32 points but struggling to contain Gilgeous-Alexander.
  • Gilgeous-Alexander has been impressive in his ability to turn the page and maintain focus, even after receiving the MVP trophy in a pregame ceremony.
  • The Thunder has improved to 8-2 against the three other conference finalists—Indiana Pacers, New York Knicks, and Minnesota Timberwolves—and the team's only losses came against the Denver Nuggets in the conference semifinals.
  • Oklahoma City will face either the Cleveland Cavaliers or Boston Celtics if it advances to the NBA Finals.

Statistics:

  • Oklahoma City has a 78-17 record in the regular season and playoffs, with an .821 win percentage.
  • The Thunder have scored an average of 118.5 points per game in the playoffs, while allowing an average of 91 points per game.
  • Gilgeous-Alexander has scored 38 points per game in the playoffs, with a 7.5 assist average.
  • Minnesota has lost the first two games of the Western Conference finals by an average of 20.5 points.

Sources:

  • Ben Golliver, "Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Oklahoma City Thunder continue to roll in the Western Conference finals", (Thursday, [insert date])

Read more