Thunder Dominate Timberwolves 114-88 in Western Conference Finals Opener

Thunder Set the Tone Early in Western Conference Finals

The Oklahoma City Thunder wasted no time making a statement in Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals, pulling away from the Minnesota Timberwolves in a 114-88 rout on Tuesday night. Packed with energy from their home crowd, the Thunder put on a show, announcing they’re not just happy to be here—they want the Finals slot, and they’re hungry for it.

Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander started slow but absolutely took over in the second half, dropping 20 of his 31 points after halftime. While some stars wilt under playoff spotlight, Gilgeous-Alexander went the opposite way—demanding the ball, fighting through contact, and pushing his squad forward. One of the game's highlight moments came when he somehow converted a layup into a three-point play while crashing to the floor, sending the crowd into a frenzy and pushing the lead up to 14 with just seven minutes left.

Gilgeous-Alexander was the engine, but he wasn’t alone. Chet Holmgren, the rookie center, made sure he was part of the party with an eye-popping spinning dunk over Minnesota’s defenders during the third quarter. The Thunder blitzed the Timberwolves with a 32-18 third quarter, flipping a tight matchup into a blowout.

Timberwolves Falter Under Thunder Pressure

Minnesota’s offense looked lively before halftime, especially with Julius Randle racking up 20 first-half points. But after the break, everything changed. The Thunder ratcheted up their perimeter pressure, clogged up passing lanes, and left Randle frustrated, holding him to just 8 points in the closing half.

The big surprise came with Anthony Edwards. The Timberwolves’ leading scorer all season, Edwards was shadowed, hassled, and bumped every trip down the court. Oklahoma City forced him off the ball and out of his comfort zone, limiting him to just 18 points on only 13 tries from the field. He hardly got clean looks, a testament to the Thunder’s switch-heavy defense.

“I didn’t particularly change my mindset, honestly. I just tried to continue to be aggressive, trust my work,” Gilgeous-Alexander told reporters after the game. The approach worked. Oklahoma City’s defense looked like it had answers for every Minnesota adjustment.

Timberwolves coach Chris Finch didn’t sound alarmed after the loss. “It’s Game 1. They won at home. Congrats to them. They played really well,” he said, brushing off concerns and suggesting Minnesota would come back swinging for Game 2.

With the Thunder rolling and the Timberwolves searching for answers, Game 2 on Thursday night in Oklahoma City has already become must-watch TV. One thing’s for sure—if the Thunder bring the same energy, Minnesota will need something special to slow them down.