Turnovers, offensive rebounds cost Timberwolves in Game 4 loss

The Minnesota Timberwolves were their own worst enemy Monday night.

The Oklahoma City Thunder don't need their opponents to beat themselves — they were the best team in the regular season for a reason — but they'll take what the Wolves gave them Monday at Target Center in Minneapolis. Minnesota turned it over 23 times and gave up 19 offensive rebounds in a 128-126 loss in Game 4 of the Western Conference finals.

The result for the Wolves is a 3-1 series deficit with the series shifting back to OKC for Game 5 Wednesday night.

"This isn't the formula to get it done, and I think that's the most important thing to take away from tonight," Timberwolves coach Chris Finch said after Monday's loss.

The turnovers were bountiful from the start, seven coming in the first quarter alone. Julius Randle had as many giveaways as he did points (five). All throughout the night, one offensive rebound after another fell into the hands of Thunder players.

"Forty between the two," Finch said of the turnovers and rebounds. "You're not gonna beat a team like this if you're certainly turning it over 20-plus times and letting them have a bunch of second-chance opportunities, and we knew that."

OKC scored 24 second-chance points and had 22 points off Minnesota's 23 turnovers. It erased what was an otherwise stellar offensive night from the Wolves, save for their best to players. They shot 51% from the field and 44% from 3-point range. They had 30 assists on 43 made shots. But the turnovers and offensive boards led to a significant possession deficit; OKC attempted 95 shots to just 84 for the Wolves. That's far from a recipe for success against the NBA's best.

"I don't think we started the game with that kind of mindset and mentality, imposing ourselves offensively," Finch said. "We turned it over seven times in the first quarter, and a lot of those were just trying to play in traffic, taking on matchups that invited more attention and more of a crowd and not really going anywhere."

It was a quiet night for Minnesota's stars — Anthony Edwards and Randle combined for just 21 points on 20 shots — and a big night for OKC's — Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams combined for 74 points. But the overarching theme of the night were the turnovers, and inability to secure a defensive rebound. A stop or two would have been the difference.

"They had 19 offensive rebounds, and we had 23 turnovers," said Donte DiVincenzo, who scored 21 points off the bench. "It doesn't matter who was gonna score, we can't win the game with those numbers right there."

It was no mystery why the Wolves lost Monday night.

"They outplayed us, outrebounded us, got more 50-50 balls, wanted it a little more," Edwards said.

Minnesota will have to want it more now with its back against the wall facing a 3-1 series deficit. It's desperation time.

"Sh*t, there's no other mindset to have," DiVincenzo said. "You win or you go home. We're just trying to get another home game, try and play in front of our home crowd again. Go out there on Wednesday ... and play like you're going home."

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