The Oklahoma City Thunder defeated the Minnesota Timberwolves 124-94 on Wednesday night, winning the Western Conference finals series 4-1. This victory marks their first trip to the NBA Finals since 2012.
Key Performers
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Shai Gilgeous-Alexander:
- Led the team with a game-high 34 points.
- Named MVP of the Western Conference finals, becoming a unanimous selection.
- Has a chance to become only the second player in history to win both league MVP and an NBA title in the same season, following Stephen Curry’s achievement in 2014-15.
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Chet Holmgren:
- Contributed with 22 points, seven rebounds, and three blocks.
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Jalen Williams:
- Added another strong performance with 19 points and eight rebounds.
Game Highlights
- The Thunder dominated from start to finish, extending their lead throughout each quarter.
- They opened the game with an eleven-to-three run and maintained control.
- Cason Wallace sealed their advantage at the end of the first quarter with a three-pointer just before the buzzer.
Fan Celebration
Thunder fans celebrated wildly when the team sat their starters with five minutes and fourteen seconds remaining in the game, enjoying a seventy-four point margin over the Timberwolves. This victory provided relief from years of disappointment following Kevin Durant’s departure through free agency.
Historical Context
This win marks Oklahoma City’s fourth postseason victory by thirty or more points this year, the most ever achieved by any team in a single postseason, according to ESPN Research statistics.
Looking Ahead
In preparation for the next round, Oklahoma will face either the Indiana Pacers or the New York Knicks. Indiana leads the Eastern Conference finals series 3-1 going into the fifth game scheduled tonight at Madison Square Garden. If they meet again next week, it would be the second consecutive year that either team goes six games against each other. The Thunder have home court advantage due to their regular season record, achieving sixty-eight wins out of eighty-two games played before the playoffs started last month.
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