Berry Tramel
OKLAHOMA CITY — Commissioner Adam Silver was in Paycom Center on Tuesday night to hand the NBA Most Valuable Player trophy to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
Then the Thunder played a game that made you think Silver will be back on OKC hardwood soon to hand out another piece of hardware. The Larry O’Brien Trophy that goes to the NBA champion.
The Thunder took a 2-0 lead in the Western Conference Finals with a 118-103 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves that was part blowout, with little drama.
Gilgeous-Alexander showed why Silver handed him the trophy, with 38 points on 12-of-21 shooting, then celebrated postgame with a long chat with former teammate Chris Paul in the Nicholson seats courtside.
on the sideline.
Another Thunder alum, Kendrick Perkins, was in the building, too, as part of ESPN’s broadcast crew. Both Paul and Perk drew rousing ovations. But nothing like SGA drew throughout the night, with a pristine performance.
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Gilgeous-Alexander had plenty of help. Jalen Williams was superb, with 26 points on 12-of-20 shooting. Chet Holmgren had 22 points. And Luguentz Dort played tremendous defense on Minnesota star Anthony Edwards, who scored 32 points, but many of them when Dort was needed elsewhere.
The Thunder won this one with a third-quarter spurt that turned the game into the typical OKC rout.
Gilgeous-Alexander’s emotions had to be on overdrive at all the hoopla of the previous 24 hours, but as usual, he played within himself.
SGA scored nine points in the final 2:22 of the first half to help the Thunder create some separation, with a 58-50 halftime lead.
Then midway through the third quarter, the Thunder defense went all attack-dog in the final six minutes of the third quarter. With Dort, Alex Caruso and Cason Wallace on the floor together, the Timberwolves finally started to wilt. When Daigneault subbed, in came Williams for Caruso. That’s two reigning all-defense players (Dort, Williams), one recent all-defense (Caruso) and one future all-defense (Wallace).
Minnesota in those final six minutes made just one of nine shots (and that with 26 seconds left in the quarter), six of nine foul shots and committed five turnovers, three of them on steals by Dort, Gilgeous-Alexander and Wallace.To that point, the T-Wolves had committed just six turnovers all game.
Those five turnovers led immediately to 12 OKC points. That’s when the Thunder is at its best. Minnesota can’t win if it allows the Thunder to crank up the turnover machine.
The Thunder spree was 25-8, with OKC making nine of 10 shots until Williams missed a final-possession drive.
The Timberwolves made a valiant effort at a comeback, but never got within single digits, and now the Thunder is two wins away from the NBA Finals.
Tulsa World Sports Extra Show: Is Shai Gilgeous-Alexander the greatest Thunder ever?
Tulsa World Sports Extra Show: Is Shai Gilgeous-Alexander the greatest Thunder ever? Juwan Lee and Berry Tramel discuss SGA's first MVP and if it's too early to put him in the all-time Thunder greats list? Also, Tramel gives his Game 1 reaction and prediction for Thursday's Game 2.
berry.tramel@tulsaworld.com
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