Wolves can't keep up with Thunder in Game 2, fall into 2-0 series deficit

Anthony Edwards vowed to be more aggressive, and he certainly was. The Minnesota Timberwolves once again went blow for blow with the Oklahoma City Thunder in the first half. But just like in the first time around, none of it mattered.

The Thunder once again dominated the third quarter and used a 25-6 run to pull away from the Timberwolves, who fell into a 2-0 series deficit in the Western Conference finals after Thursday night's 118-103 Game 2 defeat in Oklahoma City.

Perhaps the real beginning of the end for the Wolves came at the end of the first half. Closing quarters has been an issue for them all season long, and the struggles reared their ugly head again Thursday night. Edwards' layup cut it to a 53-50 deficit with just 1:09 to go in the half, but NBA MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander answered with a 3-pointer. The ensuing offensive possession, Donte DiVincenzo set an illegal screen for a turnover, and the Wolves fouled Gilgeous-Alexander.

He made both from the free-throw line, and just like that, the three-point deficit was up to eight at the halftime break.

The game, of course, was hardly over there, and Minnesota did cut that in half early in the third quarter. But Gilgeous-Alexander got an and-1, Alex Caruso got out in transition for a layup and that was just the beginning of a 25-6 run that all but put the game away before the final quarter started. The Wolves were outscored 35-21 in the third quarter overall.

Gilgeous-Alexander was presented with his MVP trophy before the game, and he followed up by delivering an MVP performance on the court. He scored a game-high 38 points on 12-for-21 shooting and also added eight assists, three rebounds and three steals. Gilgeous-Alexander also posted a plus-minus of plus-25, the second best of the night.

But the Thunder are far from just a one-man team. Jalen Williams almost couldn't miss and had a double with 26 points on 12-for-20 shooting and 10 rebounds. Minneapolis native Chet Holmgren was a force, too, with 22 points, highlighted by a third-quarter slam in which he picked up a technical foul after the play for taunting — you could say he had the right to.