Oklahoma City Thunder Defeat Minnesota Timberwolves with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's 37 Points
Image credits: Abbie Parr/AP
The Oklahoma City Thunder have continued their dominance in the Western Conference, defeating the Minnesota Timberwolves 130-123 on Sunday night. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was the star of the show, scoring 37 points, grabbing 8 rebounds, and dishing out 8 assists. The Thunder's offense was on fire, shooting a season-best 54% from three-point range. Chet Holmgren added 19 points to the Thunder's total, helping them secure the win.
The Timberwolves, despite being short-handed, put up a good fight. Anthony Edwards had 29 points and 10 rebounds, but it wasn't enough to overcome the Thunder's defense. The Timberwolves were missing key players, including Rudy Gobert and Julius Randle, and Jaylen Clark was ruled out with neck pain after a fall in the third quarter. The Thunder, on the other hand, have lost only once in the last 25 days and have a 9.5-game lead over the Denver Nuggets and Memphis Grizzlies in the Western Conference.
The game was a back-and-forth affair, with the Thunder going up 52-33 in the second quarter before the Timberwolves went on a 25-4 run to close the gap. The Thunder's bench was key in the win, with Aaron Wiggins and Alex Caruso making important contributions. Caruso hit three three-pointers and had a steal that set up a three-pointer by Gilgeous-Alexander in the fourth quarter. The Thunder's bench outscored the Timberwolves' bench 25-15, making a significant impact on the game.
Here are the key statistics from the game:
- Shai Gilgeous-Alexander: 37 points, 8 rebounds, 8 assists
- Anthony Edwards: 29 points, 10 rebounds
- Chet Holmgren: 19 points
- Thunder's three-point shooting: 54% (19 for 35)
- Timberwolves' three-point shooting: 35% (14 for 40)
The Thunder and Timberwolves have faced off three times this season, with the Thunder holding a 2-1 edge. The two teams met just before the All-Star break, with the Timberwolves pulling away with a 116-101 victory. However, the Thunder have been on a roll since the break, with Gilgeous-Alexander leading the charge. The Hamilton, Ont., native is averaging 32.2 points per game, leading the entire NBA, and his 1.6 steals per game lands him second in the league. The Thunder will look to sweep their home-and-home series against the Timberwolves on Monday night, and fans can watch the game live on TSN1/3/4 and streaming on TSN.ca and the TSN App.
timberwolv thunder minnesota shai gilgeou oklahoma alexander okc city western
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