Just a day after being named the NBA’s Most Valuable Player, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander powered the Oklahoma City Thunder to a 118-103 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves, giving them a 2-0 lead in the Western Conference Finals.
Before Thursday’s Game 2, Gilgeous-Alexander received the Michael Jordan Trophy in recognition of his MVP season. He followed up the honor with a commanding performance, scoring 38 points—matching his career playoff high—while adding eight assists and three steals. The 26-year-old has now scored 30 or more points in five straight playoff games.
Reflecting on the night, Gilgeous-Alexander admitted the emotional high from receiving the MVP trophy had an impact. “I feel like my emotions were so high that I was a little bit tired out there, especially at the start. I was a little too juiced up,” he said. “A special moment. I’m happy we won so I can really enjoy the last couple of days and soak it all up.”
Rather than trying to force the game early on, he leaned on his teammates. “I thought about coming out and forcing the first couple of shots, but I was like: ‘Nah, that’s probably not the way to go.’ I wanted to just let the game come to me, lean on my teammates, play through them, play off them.”
Gilgeous-Alexander wasn’t the only one contributing to the win. Jalen Williams continued his impressive postseason with 26 points, 10 rebounds, and five assists. Rookie Chet Holmgren added 22 points and four rebounds, delivering one of his best performances of the playoffs.
As in Game 1, the Thunder used a third-quarter surge to seize control. A 14-2 run in the period gave Oklahoma City a firm grip on the game, eventually stretching the lead to 24 points. Though Minnesota closed the gap to 10 in the final quarter, the Thunder maintained control down the stretch.
For the Timberwolves, Anthony Edwards responded to his Game 1 critique by doubling his shot attempts. He ended the night with 32 points, nine rebounds, and six assists. Jaden McDaniels chipped in 22 points, while Nickeil Alexander-Walker—Gilgeous-Alexander’s cousin—added 17 off the bench.
However, Julius Randle struggled, scoring just six points on 2-of-11 shooting, marking his first poor performance of this postseason run.
Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch pointed to a familiar issue. “I thought again we didn’t close the half very well. If we close the half better, then we don’t put ourselves on such a razor’s edge in the third,” he explained. Turnovers and missed opportunities allowed the Thunder to shift into attack mode.
Despite the setback, Finch remained optimistic. “Every minute in this series is a chance to find something. We’re going to go back home—where we’ve been strong—and fight for Game 3. Heads up, look at the tape, and get ready.”
Game 3 will be played Saturday in Minnesota, where the Timberwolves have won nine of their last ten games and hold a 4-1 record at home this postseason.
