OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Following his recent selection, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander notched 38 points.
the NBA’s MVP
, and the Oklahoma City Thunder dominated the Minnesota Timberwolves once more, securing a 118-103 victory on Thursday night to claim a 2-0 advantage in the Western Conference finals.
Hamilton’s Gilgeous-Alexander converted 12 out of 21 field goals and 13 out of 15 free throws.
receiving his MVP trophy
From Commissioner Adam Silver prior to the game. He also contributed eight assists and three steals.
Jalen Williams scored 26 points with 10 rebounds, and Chet Holmgren contributed 22 points for the Thunder.
Lu Dort from Oklahoma City, who hails from Montreal, earned a spot on the first-team all-defense, while Williams received recognition for the second-team all-defense earlier in the same day. Together, they played key roles in anchoring a defense that limited Minnesota to just 41.4% shooting.
Anthony Edwards tallied 32 points despite needing 26 attempts to do so. Jaden McDaniels contributed 22 points, with Nicolás Weaver adding 17 for the Timberwolves.
Game 3 takes place on Saturday in Minneapolis.
Gilgeous-Alexander nailed a three-point shot with 16 seconds left in the first half, followed by hitting two free throws as time expired to aid Oklahoma City in securing a 58-50 advantage at halftime. He accumulated 19 points prior to the intermission.
During the third quarter, Gilgeous-Alexander penetrated into the key and released a turbulent shot that somehow found the basket even as he was bumped by his cousin, Alexander-Walker. After converting the ensuing free throw, Gilgeous-Alexander extended the Thunder’s advantage to 73-64.
A pass from Cason Wallace to Holmgren resulting in a two-handed dunk during a fast break gave Oklahoma City an 82-65 lead near the end of the third quarter. The Thunder maintained a strong position with a 93-71 edge heading into the final period.
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AP NBA:
https://apnews.com/hub/NBA
Cliff Brunt, The Canadian Press
