Stiles Points: OKC Thunder Big 3 Flexes Championship Formula in Game 2

With the lights at their brightest, the stakes at an apex and dreams within reach, the Oklahoma City Thunder’s championship formula was on full display in its 118-109 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves in Game 2 of the Western Conference Finals. 

The Thunder’s defense suffocated, stifled, shellshocked and saddened the Timberwolves. With each passing timeout, arms were flailed, shoulders slumped and grievances were aired.

With Minnesota looking to bounce back from a blowout loss in Game 1 and do the jump of the underdog — stealing a road game to start a series — they couldn’t get anything going offensively. With each missed triple and blown bunny, the Timberwolves got more and more out of sorts before completely letting go of the rope in the third quarter to allow the Thunder’s lead to swell to 24 points. 

That end to the third frame made Minnesota’s fourth quarter flurry fruitless as they sliced Oklahoma City’s lead to 10 before All-Star Jalen Williams splashed a triple from the slot to drive the dagger into the Timberwolves. 

On top of holding Minnesota to lackluster 41/28/77 shooting splits, Oklahoma City got a championship outing from its big three of Williams, Chet Holmgren and League-MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. 

While neither team could buy a bucket from beyond the arc, with the Bricktown Ballers shooting a percentage point worse than Minnesota from deep, this trio made a living inside the arc.  

Against a typically stout and physical Timberwolves defense, Oklahoma City faced no resistance getting to its spots in the mid-range and at the rim. 

The Santa Clara product was steady, living at the elbows for pull-up jumpers that dejected the Timberwolves, barreling his way to the rim with the best body control and force that he’s ever played with at this stage, and playing the part of a bona fide No. 2 option. 

Williams finished with 26 points, 10 rebounds, five assists and a steal while shooting a jaw-dropping 60% from the floor, including 2-for-6 from 3. 

His fellow 2022 draftee, Holmgren, was active on both ends. Deterring drivers which forced Minnesota to kick the ball out to streaky shooters who couldn’t find the bottom of the net and grew uncomfortable throughout the contest.

Offensively, his activity behind the defense, cutting to the rim and bouncing block to block, allowed the Thunder table setters to find him for easy points as the Timberwolves were scrambling for answers. The Gonzaga product turned in 22 points, four rebounds and two assists, including a 5-for-6 night at the charity stripe, as the force he played with inside forced Minnesota to put him on the line. 

The cherry on top was the Thunder’s superstar doing superstar things. Gilgeous-Alexander controlled this game with high-level decision-making that sometimes was left unrewarded by OKC’s 3-point struggles.

The NBA’s MVP danced with the Wolves defenders to create space to toss in mid-range jumpers all over the floor from the nail, to the elbow, on the baseline and slither his way to the rim. The Kentucky product gave the Timberwolves the business for the second straight game, as frustrations boiled over to the point he was shoved to the ground by Jaden McDaniels, an All-Defensive wing, who has no answers for the NBA’s scoring champion. 

With the Thunder’s big three clicking like this and its defense dominating, Oklahoma City showed its championship formula.  

Song of the Day: Kentucky Rain by Elvis