The opening recreation of the Western Convention finals was about way over the superstars on the Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder and Minnesota Timberwolves rosters.
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The Thunder performed lockdown protection all through the second half and turned loads of turnovers into factors on the opposite finish. And the Timberwolves struggled from the perimeter and could not get Julius Randle going within the second half after a monster first half.
However Oklahoma Metropolis’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Minnesota’s Anthony Edwards are nonetheless on the entrance and heart of the collection and can go a great distance towards figuring out how the collection will go from right here.
The Thunder and Timberwolves sq. off in Recreation 2 of the best-of-seven collection Thursday in Oklahoma Metropolis with the Thunder up 1-0.
Gilgeous-Alexander, who was named NBA Most Worthwhile Participant for the primary time on Wednesday night time, scored 31 factors – 20 within the second half – of Oklahoma Metropolis’s 114-88 victory.
Gilgeous-Alexander is the third Thunder MVP winner. The others are Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook .
Thunder coach Mark Daigneault used a 10-man rotation in Recreation 1, increasing from the rotations he used within the second-round collection towards Denver.
“Most of the guys on our team could do more, including Shai. As much as he does, he could do more,” Daigneault mentioned. “He plays in such a way that allows other guys to breathe, and allows the other guys to go. … There’s no one on the team that’s not parking some part of their own ceiling, as individual players in a vacuum, for the good of the team.”
After enjoying 20 mixed minutes over two video games within the collection towards Denver – all late on blowout Oklahoma Metropolis wins – Kenrich Williams performed 10 minutes in Tuesday’s collection opener.
Williams hit a pair key buckets and made a pair key defensive performs.
“Unbelievable consistency, professionalism, mental toughness, all that stuff,” Daigneault mentioned. “I truly believe that it breathes life into the team.
“He simply places his head down on daily basis and retains himself prepared and to go in and ship like that was an enormous vitality enhance for us.”
Edwards scored 18 points in the series opener, going just 5-of-13 from the field.
In 38 career playoff games, Edwards has attempted fewer shots just one time.
“I undoubtedly obtained to shoot extra,” Edwards said. “… Simply obtained off the ball slightly extra, play with out the ball. I believe that would be the reply. As a result of enjoying on the ball, they’re simply going to double and sit within the gaps all day. … We’ll determine it out.”
The Timberwolves lost their first game in the second round to Golden State before bouncing back to win four consecutive games to close out that series.
“We undoubtedly have to discover a rhythm on this collection,” Minnesota coach Chris Finch said. “Each collection is slightly bit completely different in how individuals guard you and whatnot. I believed we got here out and tried to play the identical manner we all the time did, and that wasn’t going to work. … We have to determine a special rhythm to play.”
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