The Oklahoma City Thunder are back in the NBA Finals for the first time since 2012 after dismantling the Minnesota Timberwolves 124-94 in Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals. The dominant win capped a rapid ascent for the league’s second-youngest team, who continue to make history on its path to a title.
Led by MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who scored 34 points and added eight assists and seven rebounds, the Thunder closed out the series in commanding fashion. It marked SGA’s 60th game with 30+ points this season and his 10th such performance with 5+ assists in the Playoffs, joining only LeBron James and Michael Jordan in that elite category.
The Thunder’s 30-point blowout was their 12th of the season and fourth of the postseason, the most ever in a single NBA Playoff run. SGA was awarded the Magic Johnson Western Conference Finals MVP Trophy after averaging 31.4 points, 8.2 assists, and 5.2 rebounds in the series.
Chet Holmgren added 22 points while Jalen Williams (19 pts, eight reb, five ast) and Cason Wallace led OKC with a +25 plus-minus.
OKC finished a franchise-best 68-14 in the regular season, improving by 28 wins over the past two years. After sweeping Memphis and outlasting Denver in seven games, the Thunder now await either the Knicks or Pacers in the Finals, which begin on June 5.
SGA remained focused postgame: “This is not our ultimate goal. We’ve still got work to do.”