For now, though, Oklahoma City star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had one of those nights on a basketball court. The Thunder were just beaten by the Minnesota Timberwolves in Game Three of their playoff series. The newly crowned MVP had a dreadful outing here, finishing with just 14 points. That’s a significant fall from his outstanding average of 34.5 points over the first two games of the series. This performance served as a testament to the defensive prowess of the Timberwolves, as they thoroughly disrupted almost every Thunder offensive attempt.
Gilgeous-Alexander’s shooting was particularly rash, resulting in him finishing at 4-of-13 from the floor and four turnovers for the entire game. The Thunder were unable to figure it out. While they were solidly ahead – with over 20 points of cushion – with minutes left in the third quarter, Gilgeous-Alexander and the other starters would leave the game for good. The removal of the starters happened as Minnesota built their lead to seemingly insurmountable heights.
Looking back on his team’s performance, Gilgeous-Alexander thanked the adversity they endured. “We were taking the ball out of the net for the majority of the game, so they get back and can set their defense,” he explained. The Timberwolves controlled the tempo of the game, and Oklahoma City could never catch up. As a result, they severely limited their most critical scoring opportunities.
Chet Holmgren, Oklahoma City’s other star rookie, lamented that feeling of helplessness that shone through in Gilgeous-Alexander’s quotes after Minnesota’s onslaught. Whatever their destination, mission accomplished. They did what they wanted to do. We didn’t stop them,” he stated. This lack of defensive pressure let Minnesota control the pace of play and settle into their game plan with minimal pushback.
Despite the disappointing result Gilgeous-Alexander didn’t quit, saying it best, “You get punched, you get back up.” His resilience would be key in bringing the Thunder together as they focused on bouncing back against their next playoff opponent. They’ll try to channel that momentum to drive their return.
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