The Oklahoma City Thunder put up a lovely performance on Saturday in their dominant victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves. They did sweep Game 1 of their playoff series with a strong 114-88 victory. The Thunder’s strategy effectively neutralized the Timberwolves’ strengths, particularly in the paint. Minnesota raced out to a 14–3 lead before the end of the first quarter. Oklahoma City’s stout D and high-energy O made sure their championship dreams came true.
At asking Timberwolves figure to paint-over most of the afternoon, coming in among best standings in NBA history, with 51.6 PPG downstrokes. They illustrated this potential well before that, scoring a whopping 72 points in their last meeting against the Golden State Warriors. Minnesota leaped to a small 48-44 advantage through the first half of play. Though they started strong, they couldn’t maintain their pace into the first half’s second frame.
Key Moments in the Game
Minnesota’s Anthony Edwards finished with 18 points on 5-for-13 shooting. He did sprain his left ankle in the first half. With his injury, there were questions about how well he would play and availability going forward in the series. Despite this setback, the Timberwolves managed to take a 60-56 lead with 7:22 remaining in the third quarter. This opening felt like a turning point, as it momentarily raised Minnesota fans’ hopes.
The Thunder immediately answered in a strong 17-2 run that turned the momentum of the game. This scoring explosion not only highlighted their offensive firepower but it was really about their offensive efficiency in scoring off of turnovers. On the other end, Oklahoma City made Minnesota pay with an aggressive defense that created 19 turnovers. They converted those missteps into 31 points, a huge factor in their resounding win.
Thunder’s Dominance on Defense
Oklahoma City’s defense was the unsung hero in their Game 1 victory. They limited Minnesota to just 34.9% from the floor, making it incredibly difficult for them to find any offensive rhythm. The Thunder’s game plan was targeted on taking away looks from three-point range. After opening on fire, the Timberwolves fizzled out, shooting just 10-for-40 from deep after 5-for-11 in the first quarter.
And while Oklahoma City’s defense was certainly effective, it was only compounded by the poor performance from Minnesota’s bench. The Timberwolves bench—Naz Reid, Donte DiVincenzo, and Nickeil Alexander-Walker—went a miserable 7-for-36. Minnesota’s bench players failed to produce, further increasing the pressure on Minnesota’s offense. As a corollary, they made it more difficult to keep pace with the Thunder.
Looking Ahead
Looking ahead to Game 2, for either team to come away victorious, the Wolves will need to get smart buckets around the basket. Their tremendous early success in that area was canceled out quite a bit by Oklahoma City’s late-game switches and defensive urgency. Minnesota Timberwolves’ new coach must adjust game plans. He’ll need to do a better job of maximizing scoring opportunities for Edwards and ensuring a bigger contribution from the bench.
Oklahoma City’s coach Mark Daigneault pulled a Game 1 doozy. He rolled out an underused double-big frontcourt of Isaiah Hartenstein and Chet Holmgren for less than eight combined minutes. This decision mirrors a conservative tactical choice that is subject to change later in the series depending on matchups and individual player form.
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