The Western Conference Finals tipped off with the top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder taking on the sixth-seeded Minnesota Timberwolves for a spot in the NBA Finals.
The Thunder, looking for their first Finals appearance since 2012, advanced by sweeping the Memphis Grizzlies in the first round and outlasting the Denver Nuggets in a seven-game semifinal. The Timberwolves, meanwhile, are aiming for their first-ever NBA Finals appearance after knocking out the Los Angeles Lakers in seven games and defeating the Golden State Warriors in the second round.
In Game 1, the Thunder overcame a sluggish first half in which they trailed by as many as nine points. They dominated the second half with a 70-40 scoring advantage, eventually building a 26-point lead.
MVP candidate Shai Gilgeous-Alexander acknowledged the team’s rusty start in a postgame interview but still led all scorers with 31 points. After a rough first half shooting 2-for-13, he turned it around in the second half.
Oklahoma City shot 61.9 percent from the field and 61.5 percent from three in the second half. Minnesota, in contrast, struggled offensively, shooting just 35 percent from the floor and 21.7 percent from beyond the arc during that stretch.
Turnovers were a major issue for the Timberwolves. They gave the ball away 19 times, which the Thunder converted into 30 points. Oklahoma City also dominated the paint, outscoring Minnesota 54-20 in that area.
Julius Randle added 28 points on 9-for-13 shooting for the Thunder. For the Timberwolves, Anthony Edwards, who seemed to tweak his ankle in the second quarter, finished with just 18 points and was held scoreless in the fourth quarter.
Minnesota’s bench struggled badly, going 9-for-41 from the field. To compete in Game 2, the Timberwolves will need better offensive execution, more paint presence, and improved performances from both Edwards and their reserves.
For Oklahoma City, the key going forward will be maintaining the intensity and execution they showed in the second half across the full game. Minnesota is likely to respond with a stronger offensive performance in Game 2.
