After a decently played first half where Minnesota took a small lead into halftime, its shooting touch abandoned its starters, and Oklahoma City leveraged a 32-18 third period to take a lead it would not give up in a runaway game 1 home win. The Thunder’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Chet Holmgren left no doubt in fourth quarter domination that caused the raucous crowd to erupt on numerous occasions.
The Wolves’ Julius Randle (28 points and 8 rebounds) and Anthony Edwards (18 points and 9 rebounds) carried the team with 30 of their first 38 points in a tough first half offensively for their teammates. That production was not enough to counter the inevitable Thunder run to start the second half, as their support players could not make an impact from the field - Donte DiVincenzo (3-for-14), Naz Reid (1-for-11), and Nickeil Alexander-Walker (3-for-11) combined for a ghastly 7-for-36 night.
Oklahoma City was led by its star duo of likely MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (31 points , 9 assists, and 3 steals) and Jalen Williams (19 points, 8 rebounds, 5 assists, and 5 steals). They also received some surprise early offense from center Isaiah Hartenstein (12 points and 5 rebounds) and Holmgren (15 points, 7 rebounds and 2 blocks) in the second half.
The Wolves started 4-for-5 from behind the arc, while Gilgeous-Alexander did most of his early damage from at or near the line to help draw Minnesota into the foul bonus a handful of minutes in. Edwards picked up a pointless technical by lobbing the ball off of Gilgeous-Alexander at a dead-ball spot. The Thunder reeled in the Wolves with relative ease by forcing six turnovers in eight minutes. The teams stayed within one possession score of each other for the remainder of the frame and Minnesota stayed tentatively ahead 23-20.
Randle connected on his third and fourth threes in the second period to keep Minnesota afloat with Edwards in the locker room. Hartenstein made his own six point burst to provide some relief to Gilgeous-Alexander. Randle ran up his point total to 18 while Edwards returned to action partway through the stanza. Despite OKC swallowing the Denver offense whole on Sunday, it was the Minnesota D that engulfed the (perhaps tired) Thunder attack. Despite the early free throw success, the Wolves still gave Gilgeous-Alexander the body treatment knowing the officials wouldn’t call everything. An entertaining, if uneven, opening act resulted in Minnesota being up 48-44.
The teams matched each other blow-for-blow to start the second half. Jalen Williams soared into double digits, while Mike Conley provided some needed offense in support of Edwards and Randle. The Wolves’ offense mysteriously tailed off halfway through the frame. Gilgeous-Alexander punctuated a 10-0 run with a gritty lay-up and free throws. The Wolves continued to pelt the rim in vain while the Thunder added to their newfound advantage. Oklahoma City went to the fourth up 76-66.
### Observations
* This [NBA Finals hype video has a very familiar face](https://x.com/ClutchPoints/status/1924501792353571218) in the #2 spot behind Air Jordan.
* I’m glad the West finals is on ESPN/ABC if only because we don’t have to hear Reggie Miller say “_Chep Holmgrumb_” for seven games.
* If Rudy Gobert the most offensively-limited 7-footer in the last 25 years?
* It’s been 12 years since Conley and his former Grizzlies met the Spurs in the 2013 conference finals?
* **Defensive Sequence of the Game #1**: Edwards, after getting his pocket picked by Jalen Williams, chased down the OKC wing and swatted away his attempt at the other end minutes into the opening stanza.
### Game Rundown
Minnesota’s Jaden McDaniels scored the first five points of the Conference finals on a smooth straightaway three and two. Edwards’ bucket made it 8-0 in the first 90 seconds. Gobert also committed two fouls in that same timeframe, and OKC drew the Wolves into the foul bonus minutes later. The Thunder took advantage of Minnesota’s tendency to back down their defender blindly to get steals. Jalen Williams’ steal and transition dunk gave OKC its first lead. Late in the first, 15 of Minnesota’s first 19 points came from three, and they left the period up three.
Randle’s free throw to start the second put the Wolves up four. Two Hartenstein baskets tied the game quickly. Randle and Alex Caruso hit matching threes. Holmgren’s first basket ended a mini-run from Minnesota. Edwards’ freebies put the Wolves up nine late in the half, and he later tried to slam Lu Dort through the stanchion on a dunk attempt. Jalen Williams stole the ball from another unsuspecting Wolf - drawing Randle’s third foul in transition - and the Thunder ended the half down only four.
Holmgren’s pretty hook and free throws put OKC back up three as Minnesota struggled to find its way out of the break. McDaniels again started the scoring for the Wolves, however. Edwards took the reins from Randle and his three put the Wolves back up. Conley put up a handful of points to boot. Jalen Williams went on his own heater with a three and two paint baskets to help OKC keep pace. Gilgeous-Alexander wrongfully benefitted from a foul call, which was challenged and overturned. OKC received solid minutes from Kenrich Williams who helped them go up 11. Even after Donte DiVincenzo ended his team’s slump with a three, Gilgeous-Alexander converted an and-1 seconds after. Minnesota’s disastrous quarter left them down 10 heading into the fourth.