The opening game of the Western Conference Finals was much more than the superstars in Oklahoma City Thunder and Minnesota Timberwolves.
Thunder played a lock defense in the second half and turned plenty of turnover into points on the other side. And Timberwolves competed from the environment, and Julius Randle could not continue in the second half after the first half of a monster.
However, Oklahoma City’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Anthony Edwards from Minnesota will still have a long way to determine how the series will go from here and the series.
Thunder and Timberwolves are square with The Thunder 1-0 in the second game of the best seven series in Oklahoma City on Thursday.
Gilgeous -Alexander, called the NBA most valuable player for the first time on Wednesday night, received 31 points -20 points in the second half of Oklahoma City’s 114-88 win.
Gilgeous-Alexander is the third Thunder MVP winner. Others Kevin Durant (2013-14 season) and Russell Westbrook (2016-17).
Thunder coach Mark Daigneault used a rotation of 10 people in the game 1 and expanded from the rotations he used in the second round series against Denver.
“Most of the men in our team could have done more, including Shai. He could do more.” Daigneault said. He said. “He plays to allow other men to breathe and allows other men to go.
After playing for 20 minutes on the series against Denver – they all won Oklahoma City in the explosion late in the explosion – Kenrich Williams played for 10 minutes on Tuesday’s show.
Williams hit several key buckets and made several important defense games.
“Incredible consistency, professionalism, mental toughness, everything, Da Daigneault said. “I really believe that the team breathes life.
“Every day he takes his head down and keeps himself ready, and entering and delivering it was a great increase in energy for us.”
Edwards scored 18 points on the serial opener and only 13 of the field received 5 points.
Edwards only once again shot in 38 career play -off match.
“I absolutely fired more, Ed Edwards said. “… I went down a little more wholesale, play without the ball. I think this will be the answer. Because they will double all day because they play on the ball.
Timberwolves lost his first match for Golden State in the second round before returning to win four games to close this series.
“We definitely need to find a rhythm in this series,” Minnesota coach Chris Finch said. “Every series of people protect you a little different. I thought we’re trying to go out and play as we always do, and this won’t work. … We have to find a different rhythm to play.”
-FELD level media
