Stiles Points: OKC Thunder Trio Ready for Moment, Evolving in Real Time

Its a star driven league and the Oklahoma City Thunder have three of them.

Throughout this season, the Thunder have dominated. They have rattled off a historic 68-win season featuring more records broken than losses. Still, questions surrounded these obvious title contenders. Were they ready? Did they go through enough battles? Could its co-stars be at a No. 2 and No. 3 level enough at the ripe age of 23 and 24 years old?

This postseason, they have answered questions and proven to be ready for the moment.

Oklahoma City might light work of the Memphis Grizzlies, shoving aside the No. 8 seed in four games for the second straight season. The second round was a battle against the Denver Nuggets, which went the distance against the best player in the world, Nikola Jokic.

Now, sitting in the Western Conference Finals for the first time since 2016, the Oklahoma City Thunder are up 3-1 and a win shy of reaching its first NBA Finals berth since 2012. Due to its young trio of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (26), Jalen Williams (24) and Chet Holmgren (23).

"This journey is not easy, and it's not meant to be easy. These experiences make us better," All-Star Jalen Williams said following Game 4.

In real time, Bricktown is watching that trio –– and this team –– evolve. OKC is learning and applying lessons as the playoffs progress and it has led to a pair of blowout wins and a nip-and-tuck triumph in Game 4.

Monday night was an emotional battle, a back-and-forth affair between the West's best that featured a desperate Timberwolves team fighting for its life and a Thunder squad matching that intensity blow for blow.

The biggest difference in the 128-126 win for Oklahoma City? The Thunder's star power.

Minnesota got more than enough from its supporting cast. Five role players logged double-digits tonight for the Timberwolves. Jaden McDaniels logged 23, Donte DiVincenzo tossed in 21 and Nickeil Alexander-Walker chipped in 23 points. Anthony Edwards and Julius Randle combined for 21 points on horrendous efficiency.

On the flip side, the Oklahoma City Thunder saw 94 of its 128 points come via its big three.

The league's MVP, Gilgeous-Alexander, waltzed his way to 40 points, dancing with Wolves to the tune of dazzling step-backs and forceful rim finishes while dishing out 10 assists and hauling in nine rebounds.

Jalen Williams scored 14 of his 34 points in the final frame to close out the Timberwolves after getting the Thunder jump-started with a 13-point first quarter. Williams simply disrespected the Timberwolves. The Santa Clara product strolled into the Target Center, went into the Kitchen, made a ham and cheese sandwich while throwing the wrapper on the floor.

The jaw-dropping jumpers that left Timberwolves stumbling, tumbling and fumbling over their own feet left even the Minnesota crowd a gasp. The third-year swing man finished with 34 points, three rebounds, five assists and three steals on 54/66/100 shooting splits, which includes a career-best 6-for-9 outing from beyond the arc.

"Just being aggressive, taking what the defense gives me, make or miss. I still got to go down and play defense on the other end. And that's just my mindset going into it, just being ready to catch," Williams said postgame.

Not to be forgotten about, Holmgren stuffed the stat sheet with 21 points, seven rebounds, an assist, a steal and a trio of blocks while shooting 64% from the floor, featuring 2-for-4 from 3-point land. The Gonzaga product's offensive force and activity in this game were on another level.

The second-year big man refused to give up on plays, being opportunistic on both ends and finishing plays. Holmgren was the beneficiary of second-chance points and his teammates' scoring gravity while constantly putting himself in the right position to fluster the Timberwolves' offense and generate stops for Oklahoma City, helping the Thunder shoot 11 more times than Minnesota.

"It's crazy because [Chet Holmgren's] out there just running around right now. We don't really call plays for him. He rarely gets anything set for him. He just out there playing on feel and affecting things at a high level, whether it's making his shots, blocking shots, offensive rebounding, defensive rebounding. He's just a winning player," Gilgeous-Alexander said of Holmgren after the Thunder's Game 4 win.

This trio is ready for the moment, they are a game away from playing on the biggest stage basketball has to offer and this game proved that.

While they still have to finish off the Timberwolves and need five more wins in total to hoist the Larry O'Brien Trophy in late June, no matter if the Thunder dance under the confetti or not, they are ready for the moment.

Oklahoma City's stars won this game by responding. Not just to the 42-point blowout loss in Game 3, but answering every run, controlling a 48-minute game on the road in the Western Conference Finals, where the home team could only muster a two-point lead at any point.

"We did a good job of staying in the moment tonight. Obviously, we had a bad taste in our mouth from last game. We just wanted to control the things that we could control tonight and stay in the moment," Gilgeous-Alexander said following Monday's contest.

You can keep doubting the Oklahoma City Thunder if you want, questioning this big 3 and clinging to old wives' tales of basketball yesteryear. But the future is now in Bricktown and the Thunder will keep proving you wrong.

Song of the Day: Minnesota, WI by Bon Iver