Oklahoma City Thunder General Manager Sam Presti has assembled an impressive team that is just five wins away from securing the franchise's first NBA championship since relocating to Oklahoma City before the 2008 season.
The Thunder finished the regular season with an outstanding record of 68-14, marking the sixth-best season in NBA history. Notably, the team is quite young, boasting an average age of 24.2 years. This makes them the second-youngest team to earn a No. 1 seed in NBA history, trailing only their previous season, when they had an average age of 23.4 years.
After suffering a second-round exit to the Dallas Mavericks in six games last season, doubts were raised about the team's prospects heading into this year. While it was clear that Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was a star, there were questions about whether Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren would be able to step up as high-level No. 2 and No. 3 options.
However, ESPN's Brian Windhorst noted on "Get Up" that those doubts appear to be fading in the Western Conference Finals against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) walks to the bench with forwards Chet Holmgren (7) and Jalen Williams (8) and guard Luguentz Dort (second from right).
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander walks to the bench with forwards Chet Holmgren (7) and Jalen Williams (8) and guard Luguentz Dort (second from right) during the fourth quarter against the Sacramento Kings at Golden 1 Center.
© Darren Yamashita-USA TODAY Sports
"The reason people would say they didn't is because they didn't believe Jalen Williams was a good enough No. 2 and that Chet Holmgren was a good enough No. 3," Windhorst said. "Well, I present to you this Western Conference Finals. Jalen Williams was absolutely brilliant in this game. Arguably the best performance of his career... Chet Holmgren 21 points; some big defensive plays, including a block near the end of the game that was an absolutely a draw-dropping play. It's not a coronation yet. But this big three looks so impressive."
Williams is averaging an impressive 23 points and 6.3 rebounds per game, with shooting percentages of 49.3% from the field and 50% from beyond the arc. Holmgren is contributing 17 points and 5.8 rebounds per game, shooting 55.3% from the field and 33% from three-point range.
Both players delivered exceptional performances in Game 4 against the Timberwolves, where the Thunder secured a 128-126 victory to take a 3-1 lead in the Western Conference Finals. Williams excelled with 34 points and five assists, shooting 13-of-24 from the field and 6-of-9 from three. Holmgren added 21 points and seven rebounds, shooting 9-of-14 from the field and 2-of-4 from three.
The combined total of 95 points from Gilgeous-Alexander, who scored 40 points, along with Williams and Holmgren, marks the highest combined score by three players in Oklahoma City playoff history. This record surpasses the previous one from a triple-overtime game when Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and James Harden scored 94 points in a 133-123 win against the Memphis Grizzlies.
Both Williams and Holmgren rose to the occasion in critical moments. In the fourth quarter, Williams scored 14 points on 5-of-7 shooting, hitting two crucial shots in the final two minutes to maintain the team's lead over the Timberwolves. Holmgren was equally impressive, contributing nine points on 4-of-5 shooting. One of his most significant plays occurred with 39 seconds left in the game. Minnesota forward Jaden McDaniels tried to lay up over the 7-footer, but Holmgren blocked the shot from behind, allowing Luguentz Dort to secure the rebound for Oklahoma City.
Now, both Williams and Holmgren aim to continue proving their doubters wrong and help the Thunder win the NBA Finals. However, their immediate focus is on defeating the Timberwolves. Game 5 will take place at the Paycom Center in Oklahoma City on Wednesday at 8:30 p.m. ET on ESPN.