The Oklahoma City Thunder won this Wednesday by 124-94 to the Minnesota Timberwolves and closed 4-1 the western finals to become the first team to seal the ticket for the NBA finals. The Thunder, the best team of the regular season with a balance of 68-14, await in the finals the winner of the series between the Indiana Pacers and the New York Knicks, with the first above 3-1. The NBA finals will begin on June 5 at Oklahoma City.
OKC will play its first finals since 2012 after a dream season in which they achieved the fifth best brand always in the regular season and in which they eliminated the Memphis Grizzlies (4-0) and the Denver Nuggets (4-3) before their domain against the Wolves (4-1). In these 'playoffs', the Thunder achieved four times victories for more than thirty points of difference and reach the finals as favorites for the ring.
The MVP Gilgeous Alexander dominated with 34 points (14 of 25 in shots), seven rebounds and eight assists. Chet Holmgren got 22 points and seven rebounds and Jalen Williams contributed 19 points, eight rebounds and five assists. Gilgeous Alexander received the Earvin 'Magic' Johnson award to the MVP from the western conference finals.
The Thunder already won by 33 points to the break against some Wolves in which Julius Randle put 24 points and Anthony Edwards 19, with seven out of 18 in field shots and one of seven from the line of three. 41 % success in shots at the group level left Minnesota without options.
The Frenchman Rudy Gobert barely put two points, Jaden McDaniels scored five, while Mike Conley, another headline in Chris Finch's quintet, did not contribute any point.
El domain de okc
He was a monologue from Thunder from beginning to end. The Thunder took 17 points ahead in a first period in which they barely granted nine points to the Wolves. Minnesota had more ball losses (4) than connected field shots (3) and only Edwards and Randle scored points for visitors, surpassed in all facets of the game by OKC. Alex Caruso's commitment was exemplary, who shielded the defense of the Thunder and competed with commendable aggressiveness.
A triple of Cason Wallace on the horn of the first quarter put 17 points between the two franchises, and a partial of 15-6 at the start of the second quarter raised the rent until 41-15. Jalen Williams touched perfection with thirteen points in the second segment, Gilgeous Alexander and Holmgren continued to easily scoring and OKC returned to changing rooms with a spectacular 33-point advantage after a final 14-5.
Gilgeous Alexander played the twelve minutes of the third period and the Thunder 'folded' the Wolves in 71-34. It was too late when Randle and Edwards step forward in Minnesota, with thirteen and ten points, respectively. In the fourth period, the advantage of the Thunder reached 39 points in 122-83 and coach Mike Daigneault was able to get his headlines out of the track and enjoy the party in the stands to the final 124-94 that was worth the ticket for the finals.
