By Cliff Brunt, Associated Press
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scores 34 as Thunder top Timberwolves 124-94 to advance to NBA Finals
The Oklahoma City were on fire all night long Wednesday as they took a commanding lead and never looked back.
Updated: 11:23 PM CDT May 28, 2025
NOW. KOCO FIVE SPORTS. EVERYBODY, WELCOME INTO THE PAYCOM CENTER. I AM BRYAN KEATING ALONGSIDE HANNAH HOOVER, THE OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER ARE GOING TO THE NBA FINALS. HOW DOES THAT SOUND? IT SOUNDS SURREAL. YEAH. AND IT’S BEEN A COMPLETE PARTY HERE AT THE PAYCOM. REALLY. THE SECOND HALF IT WAS JUST A BIG OLD PARTY AND I HAD A FUN TIME. I THINK YOU HAD A FUN TIME AND WE’RE READY TO GO TO THE NBA FINALS. SAY IT AGAIN, SAY IT AGAIN. WE’RE GOING TO THE NBA FINALS. ROLL THE HIGHLIGHTS. THUNDER PLAYOFF UPDATE GETS A GOOD LOOK IN THE CORNER. HARTENSTEIN BEGINS TONIGHT. THE OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER GOT OUT FAST AND EARLY. YOU KNOW WHAT HANNAH THAT IMPRESSED ME THE MOST ABOUT THE WAY OKLAHOMA CITY PLAYED. I JUST THOUGHT THEY PLAYED VERY MATURE IN A GAME. THAT WAS THE BIGGEST GAME ANY OF THEY DOMINATED ON DEFENSE. AND YOU SAW IT REALLY FROM THE JUMP THAT FIRST QUARTER. THEY CAME OUT HOT AND YOU JUST SAW THEM GETTING BACK ON THOSE OFFENSIVE POSSESSIONS SO QUICKLY. IT WAS FUN TO SEE WHAT THIS TEAM COULD DO. I’D SAY CHET HOLMGREN HAD QUITE THE FIRST QUARTER, REALLY QUITE THEY GOT THIS LEAD UP INTO THE 30S FOR MOST OF THE NIGHT. OKLAHOMA CITY WILL WIN THIS THING BY 30 POINTS. 124 TO 94. SHAY GILGEOUS-ALEXANDER WAS NAMED THE WESTERN CONFERENCE FINALS MVP. IT’S THE FIRST TIME SINCE 2012 THAT OKC IS HEADED TO THE NBA FINALS. I WANT TO BRING YOU BACK OUT BECAUSE IT’S BEEN A LONG ROAD FOR OKLAHOMA CITY. I THINK ABOUT THE 2012 TEAM THAT HAD TO PLAY LEBRON JAMES AND CAME UP SHORT, AND THEN ALL OF THE NBA FINALS ATTEMPTS, THEY NEVER GOT BACK. AND THEN KEVIN DURANT LEFT IN 2016. AND SINCE THEN, TONIGHT IS A MOMENT THAT WE HAVE BEEN YEARNING FOR AND SEARCHING FOR. AND IT’S BEEN ELUSIVE IN ALL KINDS OF WAYS. AND THEN SGA SHOWED UP AND THEY DRAFTED JAYLEN WILLIAMS AND CHET HOLMGREN. SO MANY GREAT PIECES. AND ALL OF A SUDDEN HERE WE ARE TONIGHT ON THE BRINK OF WHAT WOULD BE THE FIRST NBA CHAMPIONSHIP POTENTIALLY IN OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER HISTORY. IT JUST STRIKES ME IN ALL KINDS OF WAYS. YOU’RE NEVER GUARANTEED NIGHTS LIKE TONIGHT. YOU HAVE TO GO TAKE THEM. AND THIS TEAM FROM THE WORD GO TONIGHT WENT OUT, GRABBED IT WITH TWO HANDS AND NEVER LET GO. I GOT TO ASK YOU BECAUSE YOU’VE BEEN HERE, LIKE YOU SAID FROM THE JUMP, YOU SAW 2012. YOU SAW 2016. YOU JUST WENT THROUGH ALL OF THOSE BIG MOMENTS. HOW DOES TONIGHT FEEL IN COMPARISON TO 2012 FOR YOU? IN 2012 WE DIDN’T KNOW DISAPPOINTMENT. SINCE THAT TIME, WE HAVE SEEN PLAYOFF RUNS CUT SHORT BECAUSE OF INJURY AND NBA TITLE DREAMS CUT SHORT BECAUSE OF FREE AGENCY. AND HERE TO STAND HERE ON THIS FLOOR WHERE THEY HANDED OUT A TROPHY ABOUT TEN MINUTES AGO. SO SURREAL. IT IS. IT’S A MOMENT THAT OKLAHOMA CITY HAS BEEN WANTING TO GET BACK FOR A LONG TIME. I JUST THINK IT IS SO COOL. I COULD GO ON FOREVER, BUT I JUST LOO
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scores 34 as Thunder top Timberwolves 124-94 to advance to NBA Finals
The Oklahoma City were on fire all night long Wednesday as they took a commanding lead and never looked back.
Updated: 11:23 PM CDT May 28, 2025
By Cliff Brunt, Associated Press
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 34 points, and the Oklahoma City Thunder routed the Minnesota Timberwolves 124-94 on Wednesday night to win the Western Conference finals series 4-1 and advance to the NBA Finals for the first time since 2012.Chet Holmgren had 22 points, seven rebounds and three blocks and Jalen Williams added 19 points and eight rebounds for the Thunder.A fanbase that had suffered through the loss of Kevin Durant through free agency in 2016 and a rebuild that took the team near the bottom of the league’s standings just four years ago let loose in the fourth quarter when the Thunder sat their starters with 5:14 remaining and a 108-74 lead.Oklahoma City will play the Indiana Pacers or New York Knicks in the finals. Indiana leads the Eastern Conference finals series 3-1 with Game 5 to be played in New York City on Thursday. Oklahoma City will have homecourt advantage when the Finals begin on June 5 because of its league-best 68-14 regular-season record.Julius Randle scored 24 points and Anthony Edwards added 19 for the Timberwolves, who shot just 41.2% from the field and committed 21 turnovers.Oklahoma City opened the game on an 11-3 run and extended the advantage throughout the first quarter. Cason Wallace drained a 3-pointer as the first quarter expired to put the Thunder up 26-9 at the end of the period.Oklahoma City led 65-32 at halftime and 88-62 heading into the fourth quarter.More Thunder HeadlinesThunder Playoffs Guide: From tickets to schedule and more, everything you need to know about the Western Conference FinalsHow to get tickets to the Western Conference FinalsWhere to cheer on Thunder during Western Conference FinalsThunder superstar Shai Gilgeous-Alexander named NBA MVPThunder’s Luguentz Dort and Jalen Williams named to NBA All-Defensive teamsMerchandise now available celebrating Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s MVPMayor Holt proclaims May 22 Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Day in OKCThunder to open Paycom Center for Loud City Live during Western Conference Finals road games
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) —
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 34 points, and the Oklahoma City Thunder routed the Minnesota Timberwolves 124-94 on Wednesday night to win the Western Conference finals series 4-1 and advance to the NBA Finals for the first time since 2012.
Chet Holmgren had 22 points, seven rebounds and three blocks and Jalen Williams added 19 points and eight rebounds for the Thunder.
A fanbase that had suffered through the loss of Kevin Durant through free agency in 2016 and a rebuild that took the team near the bottom of the league’s standings just four years ago let loose in the fourth quarter when the Thunder sat their starters with 5:14 remaining and a 108-74 lead.
Oklahoma City will play the Indiana Pacers or New York Knicks in the finals. Indiana leads the Eastern Conference finals series 3-1 with Game 5 to be played in New York City on Thursday. Oklahoma City will have homecourt advantage when the Finals begin on June 5 because of its league-best 68-14 regular-season record.
Julius Randle scored 24 points and Anthony Edwards added 19 for the Timberwolves, who shot just 41.2% from the field and committed 21 turnovers.
Oklahoma City opened the game on an 11-3 run and extended the advantage throughout the first quarter. Cason Wallace drained a 3-pointer as the first quarter expired to put the Thunder up 26-9 at the end of the period.
Oklahoma City led 65-32 at halftime and 88-62 heading into the fourth quarter.
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