OKC Thunder Bench Key to Making WCF a Short Series

Oklahoma City dominated the first two games of the Western Conference Finals and will need big games from its bench to continue that trend.

The Thunder’s first two wins against the Minnesota Timberwolves have been defined by dominant second-half runs that pushed the Thunder ahead. Unsurprisingly, one of the best defenses in modern history used its ability to force turnovers and stifle Minnesota’s offense to build those advantages.

Of course, having the MVP in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has been massive for the Thunder. Add in big performances from Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren through the first two games, and the Thunder might have something they can feel comfortable falling back on with their big three.

Going into Game 3, Minnesota is facing a must-win game in front of its home crowd. No team has ever come back from a 3-0 deficit, and doing so against this Thunder team seems even more impossible. While the Timberwolves will come out desperate with their backs against the wall, the Thunder also know what a win on Saturday night could mean for them. 

It seems reasonable for the Thunder to believe their three stars will show up, Isaiah Hartenstein will be a force inside and Lu Dort will be a menace in his matchup against Anthony Edwards. However, the key to winning on the road in the playoffs often comes down to the role players, and more specifically, the bench battle.

Minnesota’s bench trio of Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Naz Reid and Donte DiVincenzo was brutal in the first two games in Oklahoma City. Assuming the cliche that role players play better at home can come true for Minnesota, it will be significant for the Thunder to get big performances from their bench.

Alex Caruso, Cason Wallace and Aaron Wiggins have been the mainstays of Oklahoma City’s bench throughout the playoffs. While Caruso and Wallace will be critical to the Thunder’s defense, their ability to hit open jumpers could swing the games in Minnesota. Meanwhile, Wiggins was the Thunder’s fourth-leading scorer in the regular season and an added offensive boost from him could also have a major impact.

Beyond Minnesota’s top three bench players, Chris Finch doesn’t have any other reliable options to turn to. On the other side, Mark Daigneault has a plethora of players who could suddenly make an impact.

While the bench battle will likely be won or lost for the Thunder by their three main guys, a flurry from Isaiah Joe or another key stretch from Kenrich Williams could be just as important. 

Oklahoma City has relied on its depth all season for incredible results, and it could now be what gets the Thunder over the hump and into the NBA Finals.