NBA LIVE! Oklahoma City Thunder vs Minnesota Timberwolves | May 21, 2025 | Game 1 NBA Playoffs Live
[Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] [Music] in Oklahoma City. It took a major effort for them to advance out of the conference semis. How much of an effect does that have on a team? Well, you want to conserve energy as much as possible in the early rounds. They really weren’t able to do that. Here’s where the home fans need to rise up and give their guys the jolt of adrenaline they need. Excellent movement on the play. The pass on time and on point. Now Connley pass to Randle. Lets the three fly. Dor grabs the miss. Now here’s Holren. Check by Randall. Homer the pass to Dort outside. Gil just Alexander up and over Connley and Gil just Alexander missing. Clean look from mid-range. Coach will probably want to run that play again. Edwards no good. You will not see that from him very often, especially right at the rim. [Applause] And count that. Two points. And a chance for one more at the line. And he is stronger than he looks. Trust me. I mean, Williams has the bulk to win those tough battles inside. Oklahoma City shooting their first free throw of the night here. First team foul at the line for Oklahoma City. Williams shooting one. [Applause] [Music] The free throw drops for Williams Grant. How about the rise of OKC in just 2 years transforming from a 24- win team to the top seed. Incredible, BA. The Thunder drafted well and gave those picks lots of playing time. Plus, they made some fantastic trades. And of course, don’t forget OKC still has a boatload of picks. Now, here’s Gilas [Applause] Alexander. First quarter and about a minute and a half [Applause] in throws it up high. Ooh, McDaniels with a steal. Randall with it now. Guarded by Homegrren from 13. And the shot is good. Dropping in off the front of the rim. You know, Randall has a nice package. He’s got a good touch, good mechanics, and he’s a capable mid-range shooter. Homegrren against [Music] [Applause] Randall. Dork for three. No good there. And just terrible defense. I don’t know how he missed that shot. Let’s check in with our reporter, Ally Leforce. A bit ago, Mark, Jack Melt, and I were able to chat. I asked him how Rudy Goar alters their usual game plan. Coach acknowledged that he’s a factor and said Rudy definitely demands more from us offensively. We have to be careful where we put our shooters with him waiting for SWAT. Coach thinks intelligent offense is what it takes to beat Goar. Back to you. Appreciate the report, Ally. There’s so many facets to SGA’s game. He’s equally good from all three levels. Chris Finch has called timeout. He’s going to gather the troops and talk it over. Clark, with Minnesota being a major player in the West now, Wolves Nation is howling. Howling and growling, BA, that’s the name of their fan base. And yeah, they’re excited and for good reason. Not only is this team competitive, but they can be downright dominant at times, especially at the defensive end of the floor. Easy group to cheer for. [Applause] Heat. Heat. [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] [Applause] Show us some love once again. [Applause] [Music] [Applause] Just over two and a half minutes played here in the first. Rocket right off the floor. Explosive jam by McDaniel. And here’s Gilas Alexander. He’ll bring it up for Oklahoma City. Trailing by two homegrass to Gildas Alexander. Hardenstein with a screen on Connley. Here’s Gilas Alexander. It’s blocked by Goar and that’ll be Oklahoma City’s ball as it goes out of bounds. Thunder able to keep possession. And you got to be in awe of incredible defensive efforts like this. Well, you got to take your defense up a notch in the playoffs. He takes it up about three notches on this block. About 3 minutes gone here in the first quarter. Down to five on the shot clock. Williams passes to Homegrren. Excellent defense from McDaniel. Jaden’s length and activity really a problem for shooters. Here’s Gil’s Alexander and finally they hit one. Starting to find his rhythm. He’s cooking and he knows it. And you know what? They’re going to keep using it. I mean, he’ll be the centerpiece of their offense today. You can bank on that. Now, here’s Randle and he was fouled while in the act of shooting. So, he’ll take two free throws. Plays with nice force. Randle heading to the line. Minnesota shooting their first free throws of the night. First one falls for him. This past off seasonason, OKC decided to move on from their former first round pick, Josh Giddy. Yeah, the sixth overall pick in 2021. Giddy is a talented player with good upside, but fit is so important in the NBA, and the Thunder knew his talents would be better suited elsewhere. So, he got them both. Well, he’s certainly been on target with the free throws. Such an advantage when your bigs can knock them down from the line. Pass to Homegrren. Back to Gilas Alexander and the layup is good off the glass. Gilas Alexander’s got six. And the D can’t allow Gilas Alexander to get this position because once he does he makes you pay with a screen on board. Edwards against Gordon. Offensive rebound. Second shot opportunity. The kick out to Connley. Pass to McDaniels. [Applause] They get it again. Gobear. And Gold Bear with the stuff. This is what the team relies on Goar for. Clearing the glass and finishing the play. Gilg Alexander passes to Homegrren. Back to Gilis Alexander. Got it. Makes him four for six from the floor. When they get their opportunity to punch it inside, they don’t hesitate. Outside Edwards right. Randle deciding where to go with it. Oh, he took a hard foul on the shot. So, he’ll head to the line to shoot there. It’s game on. Chad Holbert. It’s the creative finishing ability of Bren draws a lot of fouls and he’ll take his third and fourth free throws of the [Applause] night. And the first one at the line is good. The Thunder making a switch here. Caruso has checked in. [Applause] and Randall drops them [Applause] both. The Thunder have got six of 10 attempts to fall. Torn outside. Williams on the wing. Checked by Randall and Jade McDaniels picks up the foul. That’s foul number two for him. He has such a smart way. Jaden Williams making people around him better. All right, a moment to look at the scoring approach in terms of where the points are coming from here for the Thunder. They’ve been really going at the defense in the painted area and so far the opposition really hasn’t had an answer for them. One other thing they’ve done really well moving the ball around. They’ve done a nice job not settling for that initial option and making that extra pass. That’s good from Dort. And I think Lou Dort is a textbook example of a higheffort player. He is just relentless on both ends, constantly looking for ways to make a difference. Now here’s pass to Connley. Oh, it’s blocked by Gilas Alexander. And so the ball out of bounds. Gil Alexander touched it last. And we have to take another look at that block. Oh, you could feel the playoff intensity in that block. He’s playing some extra aggressive defense out there. [Applause] Dor against Edwards. He drains that one after two misses. Now one for three. Edwards just doesn’t allow defenders to bottle him up. Great focus and persistence. Gilchis Alexander finds Caruso. Williams against Randall. Now here’s Gilis Alexander defense right on him and blocked with his palm. What a defensive play. Oh, pass to [Applause] Randall. Here he goes back to Conway. Shot clock at five. 20 ft out. Edwards no good. Look at him and he’s a little hit and miss from there. Even without a defender in his face, no guarantee. All right, Clark. How about Rudy Goar? What consistency rebounding the ball? Yeah, averaging double digits pretty much every season, BA, and that helps them in the battle of possessions obviously, and it also helps them control pace. You got a guy who leads glass like that and defends at a high level, got something real good for himself. Now here’s Gobear. And Gobear with the stuff. A clever pass that time by Connley. He liked what he saw over there better than what he got off the pick. And here they come. Finished off the break. Connley’s got seven. Strong defense followed by some smart offense. That’s just good fundamentals. And Mark Dagnel has called a timeout. He wants a few moments to regroup with his players. Time for your Thunder Girls. Come on everyone, make some noise. [Applause] [Music] Heat [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] up here. [Music] Heat up here. [Applause] Heat. Heat. Here’s Williams. Oh, a clear foul there on the missed shot. So, he’ll get a pair at the line. Man, he made sure to get his money’s worth on that foul. He got him good there. I mean, that’s why the shot was so far off. And a moment here to take a look at some hustle stats for Minnesota. You figure they might want to come out and run and it’s been the key for them early. They are just feasting on fast break chances. You know, points off turnovers is something else they’ve excelled in. I expect the opponent at least to try to squeeze that orange a little better. Wallace, he’s checked in for Gilis Alexander. And the Timberwolves also making a change. Devenzo’s checked in. [Applause] No good on the second. So he hits one of two. Golden opportunity to take the lead. Instead he merely knocks up the score. Conway finds Goar. Pass to Randle. Go with a screen on Caruso. Five on the clock. Here’s Alexander Walker. Oklahoma City grabs a miss. Here’s Williams. Here’s Wallace. Caruso outside Jordan. A screen on Devenenzo. Here’s Caruso. It’s deflected. Now here’s Williams. Well, it was only a matter of time before they finally get the bucket. And I like Williams works in these mid-range areas. I mean, such an impressive score. Good for three. Demenzo. Caruso grabs the board. And so it’s Caruso who brings up the ball for Oklahoma [Applause] City. Dor against [Applause] Enenzo. Outside Williams off the mark with the outside fadeaway. The Timberwolves trail. [Applause] Outside Alexander [Applause] Walker Chinszo against Dort pass to Goar. Here’s Alexander Walker. Knocks down the triple and the Timberwolves lead by one. Goar can look over the top of just about any defense right there. delivers a nice pass. Randall against Williams. Shoots over Randall. Williams shot is good. Williams has got 11 points. They’re put your head down and go to work. That’s what they need to do. Yeah, these teams trading punches right now. I mean, it’s table tennis. Back and forth we go. Now, here’s Deven Chenzo. No made baskets yet outside. Alexander Walker parked it down low that time. and got hit with the 3second call. And we’ve got a timeout call by Mark Dagno. I think right now he must be looking at some adjustments. Yeah, coach no doubt wants to use this timeout to review the matchups and maybe make some adjustments as well. And I agree. I think there’s going to be a new wrinkle in their game plan when they come out of this timeout. Get ready everyone. Let’s go. [Applause] Heat. Heat. [Music] [Applause] [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] [Music] What Different look for Oklahoma City. Williams comes in for Hardentop and it’s Wiggins in for Dortmund. Reeds checked in for the Timberwolves. Clark comes in for Conley. Thunder with a lead gives us a chance to catch up with Ally Leforce. Hey Brian, the Thunder have some grit. Coach Mark Dagel has said we compete and on nights we mark we get back to that very quickly. The competition level and the willingness to do it together is the foundational piece. Bryce. All righty. Good stuff there. Thank you. Here’s Chenzo. The Thunder making their last shot. Clark no good. Caruso against Williams. A screen on Venzo. [Applause] Williams passes to Wiggins. Wallace outside. Six to shoot. Williams with the screen. Wallace misses. Timberwolves trail by three. Randall outside. Pass to Clark. And here’s Reed. The fader. Always a nice way to start. makes his first one. No one there to contest. Didn’t really need the fade. [Music] Wiggins with a screen on Clark. Williams passes to Wiggins and he goes up strong with a one-handed jam. He knew exactly where his man was going to be. Outstandingly fast. Three. Randall and he can’t connect. He’s one for three in this game. Oklahoma City leading by three. Puts the move on. Reed with the rebound. And for Minnesota, they’re shooting well so far at 48%. Wiggins against Ram Reed for three. Offensive rebound. Timberwolves tries yet again and missed again. Now one of five. He hasn’t been able to find his touch this quarter. To me, it appears he’s starting to lose his composure a little bit. We’ll see if he can regroup and get back into a better rhythm. Williams in the post working on Clark goes back up and it’s laid up and in by Williams. Williams has got 13. We talk about Williams versatility as a scorer. He can get his points from just about any spot on the floor. Randle pass to Clark. Reed the screen on Williams and there’s the call. It’s going to be an illegal screen. The screener was leaning a bit right there. His feet may not have been planted. Pretty obvious call by the officials. Yeah, I agree. You know, sometimes that can be a tough call for the refs to make, but not that time. It was easy there. We got to see that one again. That block was all out effort. Yeah, this is the elevated energy level you expect in the postseason. Chasing down blocks and making an impact. Gilgis Alexanders checked in for Oklahoma City. Millers checked in for the Timberwolves. Anthony Edwards comes in for Clark. And the shots good by Wiggins. Excellent activity and timing on the offensive glass. That’s how you get extra possessions. And here’s Edwards outside. Connects from downtown. Five points in the game. He does not lack for confidence. He shouldn’t. And this guy’s a dangerous score. And so it’s Jaylen Williams making things happen for the Oklahoma City Thunder. Dominating on the glass. What a quarter. More NBA on 2K Sports right after this. [Applause] [Applause] This stadium is rocking right now as we return to the Western Conference Finals. And what do you guys think about the thunder here in this one? It was pretty obvious. I mean, cashing in on extra opportunities. That’s how they built this early lead. Boy, grinding it out on the glass. They’ve really been working for those points. Grant, when you talk about consistency and officiating game to game, you think there’s room for improvement? You know, I do think so. I mean, they’re allowing more contact, but overall more clarity on what constitutes legal guarding position would help players and officials. And, you know, we need to keep seeing this from Evans. It’s encouraging to see him sink the mid-range Jay there. Gil just Alexander surveying the D. He shoots over Deven Shenzo. Gil just Alexander shot is good. Gil just Alexander’s got 10 points in the game. No idea what they were thinking there defensively. I mean that’s a shot he makes often. Shot on the wing and the rebound goes to the Thunder. Defense made an impact right there. Definitely got him uncomfortable going up with it. Now here’s Wallace. Guarded by Edwards. Williams. A screen on Edwards. Here’s [Applause] Wallace. The kick out to Williams. Here’s the pick. Tries again. Kicking it inside. SGA. And such a clever player in pick and rolls. Kilus Alexander is unpredictable and understands how to attack defenses. [Applause] outside Edwards and the three-pointer goes. Edwards has got five points now this quarter. You know, they’ve got to make him earn those threes. You play off of him and he’s automatic from that distance. Wiggins passes to Williams. Wallace outside, fires the three. Reed with the rebound. Timberwolves trail by three. [Applause] outside [Applause] Devincenzo. So, it’ll be two free throws. He was fouled in the act of shooting. And Anthony Edwards has stated that his goal is to ultimately surpass Michael Jordan. Hey, look, that is um a lofty goal to run after. I don’t know if he’ll catch him, but I like the fact that he’s ambitious enough and confident enough to put it out there. His ability speaks for itself. This guy’s a star already, and his star continues to shine. His work ethic and confidence give me belief that he’s gonna have a chance to at least get close to that. You know, about 25 years ago, there was a guy named Kobe Bryant who sought to do something similar to what MJ had did, and he got pretty close to matching it. Garzes checked in for the Timberwolves. Clark comes in for Alexander Walker. Second free throw, no good. And looking at Edwards, the offensive skills he has are impressive. Now he must focus on improving his defense. No excuses, none. I mean, with the defense non-existent, I mean, he has to connect from there. Once again, off the mark by [Applause] Minnesota. Wiggins passes to Gilis Alexander. The drive by Sheay and he banks in the layup. Gilis Alexander’s got 14 points. And this is Sha’s game. Attack, get to the rim, and finish. Now, here’s Edward. Tight defense on him. Yep, that one goes. And it’s fantastic performance from the last game has carried over to tonight. You know, that’s how it goes with him. I mean, his hot streaks guys don’t last minutes, they last days. And from what we’ve seen so far in his career, Anthony Edwards wants to be that guy in crunch time. Clark B. I love his mentality. Not only in that he wants to be the guy, but he also wants to elevate his teammates and he plays the game with an exuberance and a joy and a freshness that is, you know, quite good to see. But I like his attack mentality and his willingness to step into leading his team by example at both ends of the floor. Hey, like a lot of guys, Edwards rides momentum as a player. When his confidence is soaring, so is his activity level. Gil just Alexander against even tipped and they get it back. Wallace misses. You know when he has the ball outside like that, that’s exactly the kind of D they need to play on. [Applause] Clark against Caruso. Engles. A screen on Caruso. And the basket by Clark. And boy has this been a competitive matchup thus far. These teams have swapped leads seven times already and we’re not even in the second half. Now here’s Wiggins. He has six. Here’s James and he’ll draw the foul. He’ll head to the line for two. It’s going to be on Nas Reed. Oklahoma City shooting their fifth and six free throw attempts tonight. At the line for Oklahoma City, Jenny taking two shots. [Applause] on the miss. First free throw is good for the Thunder. Arinstein. He’s checked in for Wiggins. And it’s Dort in for Wallace. Rudy Gobear has checked in for the Timberwolves. Connley comes in for Clark. on the miss. So hits one and misses one at the line. And so it’s Connley who brings up the ball for the Minnesota Timberwolves. Pass to Edwards to the paint. Oh, deflected. Here’s Goar and he got the whistle on the way up. So he’ll be headed to the line for a pair. It’s on Isaiah Hardinstein trying so hard to contest that shot. Got a piece of Go Bear there. He’s got his first free throws of the night right here. Shoot two. [Applause] He misses the free throw. You know, he gets there so often. Go Bear would like to make these at a higher clip. Wiggins. He’s checked in for Oklahoma City. Wallace comes in for Caruso. And he sings the second. And here in the second quarter of action as we approach four minutes played and we’ve got a timeout called by Mark Dagnel. A moment to rest and confer on the game plan. Boy, you got to like what we’re seeing from Anthony Edwards. Boy, he’s been killing him all night. And the defense looks like it’s practically packed it in. [Applause] Attention now on the court. Get loud and let hear it fast. It’s time to knock some [Applause] teeth. [Applause] Heat. Heat. Heat. [Applause] Heat. [Applause] Heat. Heat. Closing in on four minutes played here in the second quarter. Hardenstein passes to [Applause] Dort. Gilis Alexander against Connley. Gilis Alexander with the hammer. Gilgis Alexander lifting off and hammering it down with all he’s got. Outside green. Screen on Wiggins. Pass to Edwards. Five on the clock. That’s a Reed to the wing on the left. Here’s Go from the arc and he stays with it. Here is Devenzo. Watched by Wallace. The Timberwolves need to get off a shot here. Second chance shot. Rudy Goar finishes strong inside. Go maintaining balance through contact. Remarkable concentration. Gilas Alexander passes to [Applause] Wallace. Back to Gilis [Applause] Alexander. Shoots from the line. Rebound Minnesota Gobear’s got his eighth rebound here tonight. Outside Devincenzo pass to Connley and he’s going for the oop here. Out of bounds the Oklahoma City’s ball. Yeah, a communication breakdown. Two guys thinking in opposite directions. The pass winds up in the stands for the Thunder. Chad Homegrren comes in for Wiggins and Williams is subbed in for Wallace. Randall, he’s checked in for Minnesota. McDaniels comes in for Deven Shinszo. Now here’s Gilis Alexander. 16 points for him. Here’s Hardenstein. Pass to Williams from outside the ark. Randle pulls down the board. And I’m surprised that didn’t go down. I mean, I’m sure he is, too. And the foul is called. He missed it. So he’s got a couple of free throws coming his way. A heading play to stop that easy layup right there. I mean, make him earn it at the line. Yeah, exactly. I mean, free throws are always better than a layup. So, I’d agree with you there. So far, he’s made all of his shots at the foul line, going four for four. Shoot two. [Applause] The free throw dropped for Randall. [Applause] and Randall drops them both. Thunder trail by four. Gordon [Applause] outside Homegrren against Randall. Homegr the pass to Gilis Alexander and it’s Shay hitting the three total focus from Shay there ready to go off the feed. All right, let’s get a report from Alli. Hey Ryan, Shay Gilch Alexander the 11th pick back in 2018 has developed to the point where he MVP conversation. His coach Mark Dalt said he’s improved every year. He’s been in the league. It’s a testament to his humility. He looks in the mirror, he sees what he needs to improve on, and then he works at it. Ryan. All right, Ally, thank you. Arinstein passes to Gilis Alexander. Strong finish by Gilas Alexander. Yeah, and Gil just Alexander is a fighter. Someone that challenges the defense and bullies his way through [Music] [Applause] contact. Outside Connley, outside for Randall. And it’s off from three-point range for Oklahoma City. They’ve gotten six shots to fall out of 13 attempts here on the [Applause] second. Gilchess Alexander against Conland and off the front iron and in it goes. And now a three-point Oklahoma City lead. A dynamic score. Kilis Alexander is so good at finding his spots and executing. Randle outside. [Applause] shot to stop the run. Another shot. He can’t hit that time. Some solid defense from Williams. Oh, what a performance offensively. They’re really rolling at that end. Excellent game. Credit their discipline. They’ve been working for high percentage shots. And Chris Finch calls timeout here. He wants to make sure everybody’s on the same page. It’s your [Music] [Applause] time. [Applause] Heat. Heat. [Applause] We got you. Let’s do it. [Applause] [Applause] [Music] Wallace, he’s checked in for Oklahoma City. And the Timberwolves also making a change. Devincenzo, he’s checked in for Edwards. Timberwolves trail by five. Randle outside to stop the run. Travis Randle with the jam. You know, once he has the positioning he wants, he’s ready for the big finish. Julius Randle throwing it down. Pass to [Applause] Homegrren. Back to Williams. Shot is off. Five for 10 now. Minnesota has gone two of five from distance here in the second quarter. And he might not blow you away with numbers, but there’s a reason why McDaniels is on the floor so often. ABA. I love his versatility at both ends of the floor. He knows exactly what’s needed from them by his team. He gives it to him. He doesn’t need a lot of touches. He just plays the game. Love his motor. Love his consistency. He is the epitome of a valility guy. No one covering. Kick to the outside. Heads up play. Cognizant of the entire floor. Now here’s Connley. Watched by Wallace. Pass to McDaniels. Count it. McDaniels got his second bucket on the night. Connley loves setting up his teammates for quality shots. He’s one of the more selfless guys in the league. Now [Applause] home outside. Wallace outside door. A screen on Connley. Shot clock at six. Wallace. The pass to Williams over McDaniels. Williams misses and the shooter had very little space on that attempt. And guys, that’s exactly the kind of high impact defense they want to see out of him. Connley finds Steven Chenzo from outside off the mark and you just can’t afford to give up that kind of look very often. Outside, Williams for three and it’s Goar with a rebound. Go’s got 10 rebounds here tonight. So active. right side. Connley outside Devenzo pass to Connley. Back to Devenzo from deep. Oklahoma City grabs a miss. Hardenstein’s got five rebounds in the game. And there’s a whistle. He’ll head to the line to shoot two. Rudy Gobear picks one up. Oklahoma City shooting their seventh and eighth free throw attempts of the game at the line for two. [Applause] Williams and he drops the first. Oklahoma City making a switch here. Joe’s checked in. Dillingham’s checked in for [Applause] Minnesota on the mission on the miss and Williams drops them both. Timberwolves trail by six. [Applause] We’ve got a minute 48 left in the second. Here’s Randall Hartinstein pulls it in. Hardenstein’s got six rebounds in the [Applause] game. Dort against Goar. Now here’s Dort. He’s guarded closely. Ooh, plenty of contact on that shot. Officials call the foul and he’ll take two free throws now. And what focus from Dort inside. Even while being fouled, he still puts a shot in the air. making two shots. And he makes a first and Minnesota making a change here. Reed’s checked in. [Applause] [Music] on the miss on the miss and Dort hits them both. A minute 31 left to play in the first half of basketball. They need something good to happen here. Yeah, they’ve gone way too long without a score. Here’s Connley. That’s in coming off an assist from Randall. Connley’s got nine points. A crafty score. Connley makes the most of his opportunities down low. That’s the [Applause] homegr. Here’s Hardenstein red defending. Six on the shot clock. Hardenstein passes to Dort. Oklahoma City’s got to hurry. They got to get up a shot. Joe misses. And he probably thought he was going to hurry that one. Connley goes in. Good work defensively by Hartinstein and it’s Thunders ball. They’re on a 16-6 run. Williams passes to Hartinstein and that one goes in as he’s fouled. It’ll be three points if he converts the free throw and he’s got his first opportunity at the line here tonight. Three. Third personal foul for Steve at the line for York City. Isaiah [Music] Hartstein and that one falls for Hardenstein. Timberwolves trail by nine now. About 10 seconds separating the shot and game clocks. [Applause] Reed for three, hits the trifecta. He’s got five points. And so it’s Homegrren with it. He brings it up for Oklahoma City. Their biggest lead of the game was [Applause] nine. Hartinstein with a screen on Randall. The three is up. Oh, [Applause] homegr. This is just fun. These teams are trading threes back and forth. Nothing like answering back. One team gets three, you can fire three of your own. Boom. And so it’s Oklahoma City with a 9-point cushion at the end of the quarter. Just pounding the painted area that’s helped them build an advantage. And don’t go far. We’ll be right back. Hello everyone. First game of the series off to a good start for the Oklahoma City Thunder. Difference in this game is they’re extending possessions. Yeah, frustrating the opponent with second chance points that can wear a team down physically and mentally and looking at where the Thunder stand in the series, the conference finals. Big fella, do you expect these teams to pull out all the stops? That would be correct, Amanda Arie. That’s right. No minute restrictions. Let the stars shine tonight. You have to leave it all out there. Even if you’re banged up, find a way to get it done. The competition level on the rise. And that is going to do it for us. Let’s get back to some second half action with Brian Anderson and company. [Applause] And time for us to get back into it here in game one. You know, Shay Gilis Alexander has been exceptional here, guys. And if he felt any pressure coming into this game, he sure hasn’t shown it. What a sensational start. Yeah, you know, I think he relishes the pressure, especially in a big game like this one. He really eats that stuff up. [Applause] And here’s Connley. Pass to Edwards. And there’s a whistle. That’ll belong to Shay Gilis Alexander. That’s his first foul of the game. McDaniels finds Edwards [Applause] and slammed it home and a foul. A chance at another point at the line. It’s going to go on Shay Gilchas Alexander and this is his third trip to the line tonight. [Applause] Anthony Oklahoma City leading by six. Pass to Hartinstein. Dor for three. Rebounded by the Timberwolves outside. Edwards now. Here’s Connley. Edwards with it. Now Gilus Alexander defending in transition. Here they come up the floor and stolen by Edwards. Randall [Applause] outside door against [Applause] Edwards. Clock at [Applause] six. A deep three. Oklahoma City grabs a miss. Arstein’s got rebound number seven tonight. Dort the pass to Homegrren Williams with it. And so he draws the foul. Headed to the line to shoot a [Applause] pair. Two shots. Take a break. Take break. Two shots. [Applause] That free throw [Applause] misses. We’re going to push on the M. on a miss. And the second free throw is good. Third quarter of basketball. We’re about a minute and a half in outside. Edwards. Go with it. He has seven for three. Randall Dort grabs the miss. Thunder leading by seven. Here’s Gil’s Alexander. Back to Homer. Oh, McDaniels with a [Applause] steal. Randall outside and stolen by Holren. Holren off the bounce. And the big finish by Holgrren. And a stunning play by Homegrren using his long stride to pound up the floor on a one-man fast break. You know, after sitting out his first pro here due to a foot injury, Chad Hong was well worth the weight. Yes, he was. And Chad was actually guarding LeBron during a summer pro game when he hurt his foot. But Chad was a monster his rookie year. Already an elite shot blocker. And Mark Dagnel has called a timeout. We might see him looking to make some tweaks to the strategy here. [Music] [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] Heat up here. [Applause] [Music] [Applause] for you. Love to hear you. [Applause] Second half of play here with just under two and a half minutes past. Gil just Alexander passes to Hartinstein and Goar with a block. So good at finding these SWATs. Go Bear loves reaching out and sending them away. Pass to Ramble. Edwards, but it’s short defending. That’s short off the rim. I wouldn’t say that’s exactly his spot now. I mean, and you can see why. Williams against McDaniels. Hartenstein with a screen on McDaniels. Williams passes to Hartinstein. Six on the shot clock. Gilg Alexander. Good. Coach likes that look. and Gilgus Alexander from the corner outside [Applause] Edwards. Third quarter action. Just under 3 and 1/2 minutes have passed. There’s the triple. The triple hits for Edwards. Didn’t take Edwards long to get those three points back. Right back at you. Screen by Homegrren. Here’s Gilch’s Alexander. And that one’s on target from the wing. Gilas Alexander’s got five points now in the [Applause] quarter. Conlin looking for an opening. Go with a screen on Gilis Alexander down low. Oh, the tower with the power move. What a move by Gobear. Goes in that open space in the pick and roll. Hartinstein with a screen on Edwards. Conley against Gilis Alexander. Dipped. Now McDaniels releases. Homegrren with the block. Wow. I mean the 7’6 wingspan coming in handy. Homegrren loves swatting away shots just like this. Oh, a clear foul there on the missed shot. So he’ll get a pair at the line. Rudy Goar picks one up. And even from where we’re sitting, you could clearly tell it was a foul. No question about it. I mean, a ton of contact and a good call by the official. And guys, let’s get your take on the scoring breakdown for the Thunder. Well, you know, for me, when you can convert this many times in the paint, I think that’s a sign that your offense is really in a healthy state. Well, another thing they did well was taking advantage of the holes in the defense. Very aggressive in exploiting the lack of concentration. That free throw good from Homegrren. And what you immediately notice about Chad Homegrren is his uniqueness. He’s got size, but also tremendous agility. He can hit outside shots or battle down low. And the Timberwolves making a change here. Reed’s checked in. No free throws good from Homegrren. Timberwolves trail by nine. [Applause] And Chris Fence calls timeout here. He wants to give him a breather and talk things over. Protecting the rim has to be their top objective right now. Yeah, you know, just look at the numbers, guys. I mean, they are being taken to the woodshed in the paint. your own city. [Music] Heat. Heat. [Applause] [Music] Heat. [Applause] [Music] Heat. [Applause] Heat. Heat. Randall outside. Outside Edwards. Shot clock at six. The three. It’s rebounded by Oklahoma City. Ardenstein’s got nine rebounds in the game. Boy, he’s getting it done. Randall with a steal. Connley against Gilg Alexander. Connelly passes to Edwards. Minnesota again missing. You know, defensively, you just can’t afford to give him that much room. They’re fortunate that he missed that one. Back to Gilas Alexander. Stolen by Conley. Oh, and there’s the whistle on the shot. So, two free throws for him coming up. And you know, you look at guys like Brandon who don’t have that eyepopping athleticism or length, but pump fake has a great equalizer. True shot. He’s gone six of six from the line tonight. [Applause] [Applause] The first one falls. Caruso, he’s checked in for Holgrren. The Timberwolves also with a sub. Alexander Walker’s checked in. [Applause] [Applause] and Randall drops them both. And here’s Gilg Alexander. 30 points in the game. Born [Applause] outside. Pass to Caruso. [Applause] Driving inside. The shot off that time. Nice te from Alexander Walker. And here’s Edwards outside. Caruso grabs the board. He just keeps firing from distance. I know he’s trying to heat up, but at what cost? [Applause] Gilis Alexander against Connley. Double team on Gilis Alexander. Strong take from Gilgis Alexander. And I like what the defense was thinking, but Gilis Alexander just outworks them and gets his shot. Randle outside. Pass to Edwards. Reed a screen on Gordon. Reed with it. Outside. Conway. Gilious Alexander with a steal. Jumps up. Gilious Alexander gets the bucket on the breakaway. Shane goes all out. Catching up to him is not an option. And he is gone. That’s something that makes SGA so dangerous on offense. His elite drive and kickability. Now you have to load towards him when he comes off a high pick. He just draws so much attention and can find another cutter or spot up shooter. He has so much gravity to his game. Dork. The pass to Gilis Alexander. shoots over Randall and Gil just Alexander missing and so Randall will bring it up for the Minnesota Timberwolves. 11-point game. Reed finds Edwards. Six to shoot. Williams grabs the board. Williams has got seven rebounds in the game. Here’s Caruso. This is the one-handed jam. You know, he’s going to hear from his teammates after that. I’m not sure what happened on that one. Oh, man. Punch that one. Bad intentions. Oh, doctor. Oh my goodness. Anthony Edwards throwing it down with force. Get this guy in dunk contact. Here’s the three. Edward punishing him from the corner. Not sure what the defense was thinking. I mean, you can’t leave this guy open from [Applause] deep. Caruso outside pass to Gilis Alexander. Hardenstein a screen takes the three and Gilg Alexander missing and the defense got away with one there. I mean, that’s a shot he typically makes. Here’s Randall. Some solid defense from Williams. Thunder leading by six. Now Hardenstein checked by Randall. Hardenstein passes to Gilgus Alexander over Connley. Here’s Hartinstein. Doesn’t go for him. Nice D from Reed. The Timberwolves shooting 40% since the break. Pass to Alexander Walker. Now here’s Reed. fires the three and again it’s Minnesota with a three. Could have been much better defense. I mean you can’t give this guy any room to operate. Caruso [Applause] outside back to Gilas Alexander up and over Connley. Nice spin off the left rim and in. Gilas Alexander’s got 36 points. Edwards against Edwards. There’s the three. Alexander with a rebound. Oklahoma City leading by five. Inside, here’s Hardenstein. Oh, and Reed with a block. Gil just Alexander. And Hardenstein slams it in. And I just love how he’s making the effort plays that everyone around him appreciates. It is certainly making an impact tonight. Well, you know, if you’re not going to take care of the defensive last, it’s going to be hard to come away with the win. And Chris Finch has called timeout. And we might see some changes. Coach potentially looking to adjust. Heat. [Music] Heat. Heat. Heat. [Music] [Applause] [Applause] So for Oklahoma City, Williams has checked in for Hartinstein. Wiggins comes in for Shay Gilgis Alexander. And it’s Wallace in for Dorton. Clark has checked in for the Timberwolves. Devincenzo comes in for [Applause] [Applause] Connley. Wiggins against Randall. [Applause] Six on the shot clock. Here’s Reed. Oh, and he got fouled on his way up. He’ll head to the line to shoot two. First trip to the free throw line for him in this one. Taking two shots. [Applause] And that one falls for Reed. [Applause] [Applause] And he can’t hit the second. Oklahoma City leading by six. And out of bounds. Minnesota will have it. And now it’s time to take another view of that huge swat. You know that block has him and his teammates all pumped up. That is what playoff basketball is all [Applause] about. Timberwolves trail by six. Randall outside and there’s the screen. Got it. Good job in the low post. Randle’s got 14 points. Yeah, pretty lefty shot by Randall. I just love a good tear drop. Williams on the wing. Clark covers. Williams shot is good. He’s got 18. That is how you use the shot fake, folks. Randle against Wiggins. pass to Clark. And here’s Reed. Just five to shoot. Clark with a screen on Wiggins. Re can’t hit. 1 second separating the shot clock and the game clock. Now here’s Williams. Clark covers. Williams against Clark. It’s Williams high post. 18 points for him. Good D by [Applause] Clark. What a performance for Shay Gil just Alexander. He has been the story for the Thunder. 11 points in the corner. He’s on fire. We’ll be back in a moment. [Applause] And I’ll tell you what, this was a nobrainer tonight. Take a look at the precision on this feed. Couldn’t place it any better. served him up a tasty room service dime right there, [Applause] boy. And it’s been a very competitive game so far as we get rolling here in quarter number [Applause] four. Wiggins with a screen on Devincenzo. And there’s Wiggins. That’s good on the assist from Gilgus Alexander. A 66 playmaker. SGA has a great view of the floor. Edwards for three. Williams grabs the board. Williams has got four rebounds [Applause] now. Gil just Alexander with the ball. Picked up by Reed with the step back. Gilgis Alexander no good. Timberwolves trail by eight. Clark in the post. He’s guarded by Caruso. Clark pass to Reed. Miller outside from downtown. Williams grabs the board. Williams has got his fifth rebound in this one. Pass to Wallace. Just over a minute playing here in the fourth. Wiggins looking around. Gil just Alexander passes to Wiggins. That one’s good. And so Gil just Alexander with the assist. Gil Alexander’s got three assists in the game. They’re searching for a way to score. Yeah, Buckets have been very tough to come by. Miller finds Steven Chinszo to the inside. Intercepted. Wiggins against Edwards. Here’s Gilchis Alexander. Good work defensively by Deanchenzo. Timberwolves trail by 11 and he was fouled in the act of shooting. Opportunity for a three-point play here. Denzo showing a lot of heart and strength taking the foul and still getting the shot to go. Minnesota at the line for [Applause] oneenzo no good on the free throw. Boy, the upside defense S Enenzo has is obvious. I mean, now it’s up to him to continue working on his game and keep getting better and just not letting up at all. I mean, you have to love this approach. You want to get the ball to the guys who make plays. If it’s working, keep working it. That’s what I say. Keep the pressure on. Williams against Reed. Oh, a beautiful reverse layup. Just an easy reverse for him. He has nice feel and touch around the bucket. Gil Alexander against Wiggins with a screen on [Applause] Devenzo. Outside Gilgis Alexander. Clock at six. Shoots over Devenzo and Gilis Alexander missing. Timberwolves trail by nine. third of action now. Now here’s Edward by Wallace. Now here’s Edwards. No good. Miller outside. outside. Devenzo goes up again and it’s good on the layin. Devenzo’s gotten four this quarter. Well, I like to see when guards come inside. Devenzo trying to send a message with that hoop. Pass to Gilis Alexander. He shoots over Devenzo. Gilis Alexander. Good. Timber Wolves trail by nine. Denzo pass to Edwards to the middle using his post moves to get the two points. Edwards got 27 points. Boy, tonight just gives you a picture of the potential of Edwards. I mean, this guy is an electrifying scoring guard. Wiggins passes to Gilg Alexander outside Williams. Back to Gilg Alexander. It’s blocked. [Applause] Tenzo has to read Edwards. They set the pick. Lets it go from deep. And the rebound goes to the Thunder. They’ve led by as many as 11. Caruso against Clark. Back to Wallace. Caruso. Screen on [Applause] Edwards. Now here’s Wallace. Not a lot of [Applause] room. Just Alexander from outside. Miller pulls it in. Yeah, you know, he usually makes you pay from that range. [Applause] right side. [Applause] Evenzo outside. Edwards puts up a three. Nails it from three. And now just a four-point Oklahoma City lead. You know, Edwards is still tweaking his three-point shot, but it sure looked good there. [Music] Wiggins with a screen on Edwards. And he loves it up top. Stolen by Reed. up top. Miller pounded by Wiggins. I see you. I see you. Miller. The pass to Devincenzo. Now [Applause] Edwards. Pass to Miller. Reed for three. And the Timberwolves hit again from deep. This is anyone’s game now. And they have the momentum. Well, it starts with defense. They got some stops, scored some buckets after that, and now we’ve got ourselves a ball game outside for Gil Alexander. And again, Oklahoma City no good. He’s fallen into a bit of a slump this quarter. How quickly things can turn. Edwards finds Miller. Clark outside. They swipe it. Three on three. Here’s Caruso. And he’s going to the line for two. The officials saw contact while he was going [Applause] up. Alex two shooting two. No good on the free throw. A different look for Oklahoma City. Hardenstein, he’s checked in for Williams. Homegrren comes in for Wiggins. And it’s Lou Dort in for Wallace. And the Timberwolves will go for a different look here. Rudy Goar’s checked in for Reed. Randall comes in for Miller. McDaniels is checked in for Clark. And Mike Connley is subbed in for Devon Chenzo. Good on the second one. And at this point in the game, there can be a massive difference between a two and a three-point advantage. Just Alexander against Conway. McDaniels passes to Edwards to tie it up. Blocked and off the court come the Thunder. On the break, the offensive rebound. No good that time. The Timberwolves have gotten six of 12 shots to go here in this fourth quarter. Go passes to Connley. Now Randall. Oh, he took a hard foul on the shot. So he’ll head to the line to shoot a pair. [Applause] makes it. And the next one could tie it up. Jaylen Williams. He’s checked in for Oklahoma City. [Applause] that one drops. He ties it up. Oklahoma City is gone. One for three in the fourth quarter from range. Back to Gilis Alexander. Pass to Dorren inside. Randle’s there. Shot clock at six. Homegrren size. Beats the contact. A beautiful finish through contact. That’s the dog in home. Edwards looking for an opening. [Applause] outside. McDaniels. Picked by Goar for three. Randall and the rebound goes to the Thunder. Williams has got rebound number nine now. What an effort here tonight. That’s the home. Jacks up the three. Gets rebounded by Anthony Edwards. Edwards has got his seventh rebound here tonight with the [Music] ball. Here’s Rand Edward for Randle. Oh, it’s stolen by Gilas Alexander and a foul called on the way up. So, he’ll take two from the free throw line. It goes on Mike Connley. I love when Gilas Alexander looks to score because it forces the defense to act. Alexander taking two shots, shooting two out. First free throw is good. Yeah. What’s special about Gilgus Alexander is how shifty he is, which also makes it so tough on defenses. Both free throws good from Gilis Alexander. It’s not luck that he’s so steady at the line. is through repetition and hard work. Outside McDaniels pass to Goar Edwards and Go Bear with the stop that gives him a double double in this one. Go Bear calling for the ball in moments like these. Big time games under his belt. outside. Gilis Alexander for three. Sends it home from three-point land. Gilg Alexander’s got 43 points outside McDaniel. Pass to Randle and there’s a whistle. He’ll head to the line to shoot two. He’s going to go on Chad Homegrown 14 Julius Randle. Two shots. Two shots. [Applause] And he knocks down the first one. [Applause] And that one goes in. Two from the line that time. Intense situations at the line. They can count on him to keep his cool. Gilas Alexander against Connley. With a screen on Connley. SGA just powering through contact. Obviously, Gilgus Alexander has the will to win. What a relentless score against Edward. Randle rights out, goes to the reverse layup and drops it in. Randle’s got 20. Calm when it counts. Randle has that clutch DNA. Just Alexander against [Applause] [Applause] And no good as the first free throw misses. We’ll see if he can hit the second [Applause] and he ends up making the second and that gives him a four-point cushion. And so it’s Edwards who brings up the ball for the Minnesota Timberwolves. Thor grabs the miss. I wonder if switching baskets really threw him off because he can’t get anything to fall this half. down low. Hardenstein finds Dort. Back to [Applause] Hardenstein. So, it’ll be two free throws. He was fouled in the act of shooting. And so, he’s picked up his final foul and he’ll set the rest of this one out. There’s that man, Gilgis Alexander. So tough to contend with this quickness. Never good to lose a player to foul, but fortunately, he’s not the only talent they have. They got other guys that can fill his spot. He drops the first one and that puts him up [Applause] [Applause] five. And he hits both free throws here. And it’s a six-point ball game. Making the most of his trip to the line and helping them extend their lead. D against Edwards has to come. There’s the block. A strong, fearless defender. Dort doesn’t back down from taking chances and going after swaps. Here’s Gil’s Alexander. He’s guarded by Connley. The fade away. Minnesota with a rebound. It all comes down to this possession. They must get points. It really does come down to this. They come up empty and it’s over. Edwards against Dort. Count it. And now they trail by just four. Seems like Edwards never stops competing and believing right until the final buzz. And they go to the intentional foul. [Music] Shoot. He gets the first and that puts him up five. [Applause] And so he drops them both and it’s a six-point ball game. And Chris Finch calls timeout here. No doubt he’s going to utilize the opportunity to make sure they’re all on the same page here. Heat up here. [Applause] Heat up here. [Applause] Heat. Heat. [Applause] 29 seconds left in the fourth quarter here. And he got the whistle on the way up. So, he’ll be headed to the line from [Applause] there. So, the first one drops and that brings him within five. [Applause] And the second free throw. No good. Tough break there. And now we’ve got an intentional foul. Intentional foul at the line. William taking two shots. Take a break. Take a break. Two shots. Got to get it. Let’s get it. Get it. Get it. Good. He hits the first one and that increases the lead to six. Good. Good. Good. Good. Good. And so both free throws good. And it’s a seven-point game. And Minnesota calls time here. 26 seconds left in the fourth. All the part [Applause] [Applause] 3 Heat [Music] up here. [Applause] Heat. Heat. [Applause] [Applause] Just 2 seconds between the shot clock and the game clock. Connley finds Edwards. Back to Connley. Three-pointer. Cash. And now they trail by just four. This is what it’s been since halftime. Remarkable results from downtown. Boy, it’s been a three-point barrage. They came out gunned and have not [Applause] stopped. Taking three shots. Two. and that hurts as he doesn’t get the first one to fall. Trying to focus now for the [Applause] second. And he does get the second one. And that puts him up five. And so it’s Edwards who brings up the ball for Minnesota. Randle the pass to McDaniels. 43. Oklahoma City grabs a miss. And so they foul [Applause] intentionally foul at the line for two. Williams. shooting two. [Applause] First free throw is good and that increases the lead to six. [Applause] So, he gets a vote and it’s a seven-point game. So, we see Oklahoma City get the win here. And it always takes a lot of pressure off a team when they get the win in game one. It’s the most important game of the series. They’ve shown they know how to beat this team. The formula’s in place. Now, they just have to stick with it for the next few games. That concludes this
NBA LIVE! Oklahoma City Thunder vs Minnesota Timberwolves | May 21, 2025 | Game 1 NBA Playoffs Live 2K
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