Any team would struggle to play against a star like Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. He rightfully earned the 2024-25 regular season MVP on the back of a 68-win season as the Oklahoma City Thunder's best player.
He has a unique style on offense with his excellent control of his pace, which is a problem for most defenders. The Minnesota Timberwolves tried multiple defenders on him, but they were unable to crack the code.
Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) drives to the basket against Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards (5) and guard Mike Conley (10) during the fourth quarter in game five of the western conference finals for the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Paycom Center.
Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images
For most of the Western Conference Finals, Gilgeous-Alexander's primary matchups were his cousin Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Jaden McDaniels, and Donte DiVincenzo.
Sometimes, Anthony Edwards would defend him, but that was less often than expected. That was criticized by people like Marcus Morris, who wanted him to step up.
Most of the time, Edwards had limited defensive responsibilities because he needed to spearhead the Timberwolves' offense.
Morris Disliked Alexander-Walker Defending Gilgeous-Alexander
For Morris, he did not like the Timberwolves' defensive scheme of putting Alexander-Walker on the 2024-25 MVP. He felt Alexander-Walker did not have the same oomph as other defenders like Edwards and McDaniels.
"Let me say this, his cousin guarding Shai might be the worst decision I've ever seen. Why would you put his cousin on him? That doesn't make sense to me because there's not gonna be any bad blood," Morris said on The Kevin O'Connor Show.
McDaniels showed potential because, in Game 1, McDaniels held Gilgeous-Alexander to 2-of-13 shooting from the field in the first half. The MVP would bounce back and lead his team to the win, but McDaniels proved he could hang with OKC's superstar guard.
That did not remain consistent throughout the series because Gilgeous-Alexander kept facing different coverages. While it was difficult to score against them, he still found ways to get his rhythm.
The Timberwolves Have More Room To Grow On Defense
Despite being one of the league's best defensive teams, the Thunder were above the rest. Coach Chris Finch has the tools to be a top-tier defense, he needs to maximize everyone's talent.
Jaden McDaniels and Rudy Gobert make for a strong defensive foundation. At the same time, the rest of the team can improve, especially with Julius Randle and Mike Conley Jr.
Edwards, Alexander-Walker, and DiVincenzo are all solid defenders, but if they want to compete, they must be gritty like the Thunder. It will be a challenging level to reach, but the Timberwolves can do it.
After two Western Conference Final exits, the Timberwolves know they are close to the top. They need to keep pushing and improving on aspects of their team that could be elevated.