After dropping Game 3 in a blowout fashion, the Thunder are looking to head back home with a win. Now leading two games to one against the Timberwolves, it feels like the Thunder must win Game 4. How do they improve from their mistakes, and why is this game so important?
Thunder Must Win Game 4 in Minnesota
No team wants to lose in a blowout fashion, especially in the playoffs. Well, that is what the Thunder did, losing by 42 points in Game 3. Everything went wrong for that team, from shooting to defense. They have some adjustments to make before Game 4, but why is that game so important to win if you are Oklahoma City?
Why Game Four is Important
There are a multitude of reasons why winning Game 4 is vital for the Thunder. First, it would give them a 3-1 lead against the Timberwolves. Going up by this much in a seven-game series almost guarantees you to make it to the championship. Only thirteen teams have come back from being down 3-1. To add even more detail, only three teams have returned from this deficit in the conference finals. Ironically, the last team to come back from that deficit in the conference finals was the Warriors in 2016 against the Thunder. That is not a good thought to have in your mind, but winning this series could get rid of that nightmare.
Another reason the Thunder must win Game 4 is that it gives them home-court advantage. Going back to Loud City, just needing one more win would be huge for the team. There is truly no crowd that makes home-court advantage a thing like the Thunder crowd. Even if they lose Game 5, they are still up 3-2 if they win Game 4. Now, all they have to do is make an adjustment from Game 3 and impose their will on the Timberwolves.
May 22, 2025; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder fans in the third quarter against the Minnesota Timberwolves during game two of the western conference finals for the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Brett Rojo-Imagn Images
Adjustments the Team Needs to Make
First, the Thunder have to shoot better. Three-point shooting has been something the Thunder have struggled at in the entire playoffs. They are shooting an abysmal 32.4 percent from behind the line in the postseason. From the field, they have been solid, shooting 45.7 percent. The problem is the team feels like they need to shoot threes to win. They proved they don’t need the three balls to win in Game 1 of the conference finals. The Thunder only hit 21 threes and ended up winning by 26 points.
Next is to stay competitive in the rebound battle. The Thunder had 31 boards compared to the Timberwolves’ 50. This sealed their fate, as it led to so many second-chance points for Anthony Edwards and Co. If they can box out and grab some more boards, they can keep Game 4 competitive.
The final adjustment is to get to the line. Even though all the free-throw merchant narratives are out there for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the team needs to get on the charity stripe. This will only happen by taking fewer threes and focusing more on slashing and cutting. They will win Game 4 if they can get in the paint, draw fouls, and get free throws. Another benefit is getting key defenders like Rudy Gobert and Jaden McDaniels in foul trouble. The earlier you can get them out of the game, the more runs the Thunder can go on.
The Last Word
If the Thunder can make these adjustments, there is no reason why they can’t win. Now, they have to forget about Game 3. Game 4 is on May 26th at 8:30 PM ET on ESPN.
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