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The Oklahoma City Thunder opened the Western Conference Finals with a dominant 114-88 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Tuesday night, seizing a 1-0 series lead behind stifling defense and overwhelming interior play.
Second-year big man Chet Holmgren finished with 15 points, seven rebounds, three assists, two blocks, and a steal while shooting 6-for-9 from the field in 26 minutes. Though his numbers were efficient, Holmgren offered a candid reflection on his performance after the game.
“I was out there stinking it up in the first half,” Holmgren told The Oklahoman’s Joel Lorenzi. “The game’s not gonna reward you for that. I feel like I turned up the intensity, played harder, was able to find a little more gas in the tank and really exert that on the defensive end.”
Chet Holmgren’s fourth-quarter surge fuels Thunder’s blowout win over Timberwolves in Game 1
Holmgren delivered his strongest stretch in the fourth quarter, adding nine points, three rebounds, a steal, and two blocks to help the Thunder slam the door on any comeback attempt.
MVP finalist Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the way for Oklahoma City with 31 points, nine assists, five rebounds, and three steals, posting a team-high plus-minus of +22 in 38 minutes. The Thunder outscored Minnesota 54-20 in the paint and held a 12-0 advantage in fastbreak points, showcasing their pace and interior dominance.
Julius Randle led the Timberwolves with 28 points and eight rebounds on an efficient 9-for-13 shooting, including 5-of-6 from three-point range. However, Minnesota struggled to generate consistent offense outside of Randle, shooting just 34.9% from the field and committing 19 turnovers.
Anthony Edwards was held to 18 points on 5-of-13 shooting, and the Timberwolves failed to score a single fastbreak point while giving up 31 points off turnovers.
Oklahoma City’s size and speed disrupted Minnesota’s rhythm from the outset. The Thunder built a double-digit lead in the second quarter and never looked back, holding the Timberwolves to just 36 second-half points.
Game 2 of the series will remain at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, with tip-off set for Thursday at 8:30 p.m. ET on ESPN.
