3 Takeaways From OKC Thunder’s Uninspiring Game 3 Loss at Minnesota

Not an MVP performance

After Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was named MVP on Thursday, he delivered an impressive performance in Game 2. His 38 points tied a playoff career-high, and his overall dominance was key to the Thunder’s success.

The exact opposite was true in Game 3. Gilgeous-Alexander came out tentative and never seemed to be sure of what he wanted to do with the ball. Sure, some of that had to do with Minnesota’s improved defensive intensity, but the MVP looked nothing like himself. He finished the night with only 14 points on 4-of-13 shooting with four turnovers.

Considering the Thunder had a golden opportunity to take a 3-0 lead and effectively end the series, Gilgeous-Alexander’s night was nothing short of a disappointment. While an improved effort from the MVP might not have changed the result much, a better night from the Thunder’s leader could have trickled down the rotation and made this a much more competitive game.

OKC’s offense can’t rely on the outside shot 

While the 3-pointer has become arguably the most important shot in today’s game, the Thunder might need it to be the least important shot to find success offensively. Early in the game, Minnesota was forcing the Thunder into outside looks and shutting off the paint.

That led to Oklahoma City taking many threes, including a fair share of open looks. Of course, the Thunder have struggled to shoot in this postseason, and Minnesota’s strategy paid off.

The Thunder shot only 6-of-23 from three in the first half and finished shooting 31.8% for the game. While creating open looks from deep is a sign of good offense, the Thunder’s inability to hit those shots has been a major detriment throughout these playoffs.

To get back on track, the Thunder need to ensure they can get inside and get the looks they want inside the perimeter. If threes are falling, the Thunder are nearly unbeatable, but they can’t get too trigger-happy from deep.

The Thunder need to have a short memory

Bouncing back has been a key component of Oklahoma City’s success all season, and that should be no different in this series. While the Thunder had a horrendous performance on Saturday night, they have another opportunity to inch closer to the NBA Finals on Monday.

As the Thunder go into Game 4, they need to have a much better start and bring the same intensity that Minnesota did in Game 3. After losing back-to-back games only twice in the regular season, the Thunder followed all three of their losses against the Denver Nuggets in the second round with wins, including a gritty Game 4 win on the road.

The Thunder don’t have to look perfect in Game 4, but they need to flush out Game 3 and move on to the next game. Considering Mark Daigneault’s 0-0 mentality being ingrained in every player on the team, quickly regaining focus and understanding that Game 4 is a new opportunity should be simple for this team.

Oklahoma City’s Game 3 performance might have been its worst of the entire season, and a bounce-back outing is needed in Game 4. Despite failing to secure a 3-0 lead, the Thunder could still put themselves in a position to close the series out at home in five games if they can respond with a Game 4 victory.

Oklahoma City will look to take a 3-1 lead over the Timberwolves in Minnesota on Monday night at 7:30 p.m. on ESPN.