It’s not often that opposing teams catch Shai Gilgeous-Alexander slipping.
But that’s exactly what happened down the stretch of OKC’s 128-126 road win over Minnesota on Monday. Gilgeous-Alexander lost his footing on a drive to the rim at the 3:34 mark, and he nearly did the splits as he fell to the floor.
A pack of Timberwolves defenders pounced on the vulnerable superstar, eager to rip the ball away. But even though he wasn’t on his feet, Gilgeous-Alexander did some quick thinking.
He skipped the ball between Jaden McDaniels’ legs and into the hands of Jalen Williams, who sank a 3-pointer to give the Thunder a seven-point lead.
It’s a play OKC head coach Mark Daigneault couldn’t have drawn up in his wildest dreams. But buckets like that embodied the Thunder’s performance, as it found a way to win and claim a 3-1 lead in the Western Conference finals.
Gilgeous-Alexander flirted with a triple-double by posting 40 points, 10 assists and nine rebounds. He sank seven free throws in the final 2 minutes and 26 seconds to help secure the narrow victory.
Williams also recorded 34 points and five assists, while Chet Holmgren added 21 points and seven rebounds. OKC’s star trio combined for 95 points, including 34 points in the fourth quarter.
Here are four more takeaways from the game:
Lu Dort put Anthony Edwards in half-court hell
Anthony Edwards walked the ball up the floor early in the first quarter, teeming with potential.
Would he pull up from behind the arc, where he leads the league in makes this season? Or would he attack the rim, where he’s capable of delivering dunks that the average person can only achieve on a mini hoop?
Anything is possible for Edwards once he crosses halfcourt, so Lu Dort didn’t let him do that.
Dort picked Edwards up at the Timberwolves logo. And when Julius Randle tried to free his star teammate up with a screen, knocking Dort down in the process, he was called for an offensive foul.
Dort continued his half-court harassment of Edwards throughout the night. And whenever the All-Defensive guard went to the bench, players such as Alex Caruso and Cason Wallace also put constant pressure on Edwards.
Edwards finished with 16 points and five turnovers on 5-for-13 shooting from the field (1 for 7 from deep) as a result.
Jalen Williams bounced back from Game 3 struggles
Edwards had two options while on defense early in the first quarter.
He could remain glued to Williams on the perimeter. Or, he could abandon him and try to intercept a pass from Gilgeous-Alexander.
Edwards went with the latter. It was a calculated risk, considering Williams was shooting an abysmal 27.8% from deep this postseason. The Thunder forward also scored just 13 points in Game 3.
But Edwards wasn’t able to get the steal. That led to an open look from behind the arc for Williams, who confidently knocked down the shot.
Williams scored 13 points in the first quarter alone Monday, and he was brilliant throughout the night. His 34 points marked a playoff career high.
It was a bounce-back performance by Williams, who continues to play a key role in OKC’s success. The Thunder is 7-1 this postseason when he scores at least 20 points.
OKC fended off Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Minnesota
Williams looked at the officials in confusion.
Surely, something was illegal about that layup by Nickeil Alexander-Walker, right?
Williams was draped over the Minnesota guard, who attacked the rim early in the fourth quarter. The smothering defense caused Alexander-Walker to briefly lose control of the ball, but he pinned it to his hip and awkwardly released a layup that dropped.
It was a wild shot, but it wasn’t illegal. And it perfectly summed up the night for Alexander-Walker, who could do no wrong.
He erupted for 23 points, six assists and two steals off the bench. That helped Minnesota stay within striking distance on a night when Edwards and Randle only combined for 21 points.
OKC can close it out at home, book ticket to NBA Finals
One win.
That’s all that stands between OKC and a trip to the NBA Finals. The Thunder hasn’t reached the championship round since 2012, and it’s still searching for its first-ever title.
OKC holds a 3-1 series lead over Minnesota. A total of 296 teams have held a 3-1 lead throughout NBA history, and 283 of them ultimately won the series (95.6%).
The Thunder can book its ticket to the finals in front of its home crowd. Game 5 is set for 7:30 p.m. CT Wednesday in Oklahoma City (ESPN).
Justin Martinez covers sports for The Oklahoman. Have a story idea for Justin? He can be reached at jmartinez@oklahoman.com or on X/Twitter at @JTheSportsDude. Sign up for the Thunder Sports Minute newsletter to access more NBA coverage. Support Justin’s work and that of other Oklahoman journalists by purchasing a digital subscription today at subscribe.oklahoman.com.