The Oklahoma City Thunder had almost made it to the end.
OKC was on the final leg of a four game road trip that included three of the NBA’s hottest or best teams, and last but not least came the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Minnesota came into the game with a multi-game lead on the Western Conference’s number one seed. It’s lead would shrink by a game in shocking fashion, and OKC would climb within a game of sitting atop the Western standings by eeking out a 102-97 win.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander fueled the OKC offense in the early going, helping the Thunder race out to a 21-5 lead in the first quarter, but sure enough, Minnesota fought back.
Despite Gilgeous-Alexander’s ten, Jaden McDaniels played the role of spoiler, leading Minnesota with eight first quarter points and playing a crucial role in closing the gap to just six points as the buzzer sounded.
Minnesota completed it’s come back with just under nine minutes remaining in the second quarter, when the Timberwolves took a 33-32 lead after a run of missed calls on both sides caused both sides to seem discombobulated.
Following that point, it seemed like a whole new ball game.
Both teams were bringing elite intensity, trading tough finishes and contested threes, but it was eventually the Timberwolves who took the upper hand, gaining a six point advantage with just under five minutes remaining in the second quarter.
OKC battled back, corralling the momentum of the Wolves by slowing down McDaniels and putting the ball in the hands of Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams, who combined for 29 first half points, on its way to a 57-54 halftime lead.
The defensive effort by Minnesota bled into the second half. Tough, physical defense gave the Wolves the advantage, and OKC was held to just six points in the first six minutes of the third quarter, but as they have all season, the Thunder found a way to stay in striking distance for most of the quarter.
Minnesota exploded from deep in the late third. Behind nuclear shooting from Naz Reid, the Wolves expanded their lead to double digits, taking advantage of a porous offensive showing from OKC in the quarter. The teams couldn’t have had more different quarters, but the Thunder stayed within a run as the third came to and end.
Chet Holmgren played a huge role in keeping OKC in it. He did what he does best on the defensive end, deterring Minnesota drivers left and right, whether it be a big man or a guard. Holmgren also did his part on offense, getting to the free throw line and posing his usual threat as a floor spacer.
After a string of poor showings, it was a breath of fresh air to see Holmgren impacting the game in so many ways. Despite a good quarter from the Thunder’s man in the middle, Minnesota took the lead into the fourth quarter, 83-74.
The fourth quarter brought more of the same for OKC. The Thunder got looks they wanted throughout the quarter, whether it be open threes or Williams midrange jumpers, the shots that have been going in for OKC all season just weren’t connecting.
Gilgeous-Alexander came in a little earlier than he typically does, with the Thunder trailing 88-79 with seven minutes remaining.
SGA immediately shifted the tide, with the dormant OKC offense finding life as soon as the superstar entered the game. With just under four minutes remaining, the once nine point deficit was down to just two points, and from that point on, it was a toss up.
Gilgeous-Alexander proceeded to prove why he’s an MVP canidate.
He tied the game up with a tough turnaround jumper over Karl-Anthony Towns, hit a ridiculous layup, and perhaps most impressively, lost his defender on a step back three to give OKC a two point lead with just over a minute remaining.
The game seemed all but over, OKC was up three with just six seconds remaining, all they had to do is deny the three, and most importantly, not foul the shooter. Well, Lu Dort didn’t get the memo, the Wolves ran a play for Anthony Edwards, getting it to their star on the run. He pulled up for three, and missed it, only to be fouled by Dort, and be sent to the free throw line with a chance to tie.
One of the NBA’s elite young superstars on the line with a chance to tie? OKC fan’s probably took their chance to run to the bathroom, or maybe grab a snack, assuming overtime was all but guaranteed.
Edwards, confident as always, stepped to the line in his home arena. The crowd let out a collective gasp as the first one clanked off the front of the rim. Surely he would make the second, and leave the door open for an intentionally miss on the third and an offensive rebound. Well, he didn’t, another one bounced off the rim and to the floor. Shock fell over the Target Center, their one seed Wolves had lost, and the only person they could blame was their biggest star since Kevin Garnett.
Williams sunk two free throws to all but ensure an OKC win after Edwards also missed his third, which allowed the Thunder to escape one of their worst offensive performances of the season with a win.
Going 2-2 on a brutal road trip is a massive win for OKC, and with a matchup with the struggling Portland Trailblazers next on the schedule, the Thunder will look to capitalize as their schedule returns to normal in February.
