Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Oklahoma City Thunder handle Minnesota Timberwolves
Sign up now: Get the biggest sports news in your inbox
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 34 points to lead his team to a 129-106 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves.
PHOTO: AFP
Follow topic:
OKLAHOMA CITY – Intelligence in attack and great intensity, that was what Oklahoma City Thunder coach Mark Daigneault wanted from his team against the National Basketball Association’s (NBA) Western Conference leaders Minnesota Timberwolves on Dec 26.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was the star of the show at the Paycom Centre, scoring 34 points to lead the Thunder to a 129-106 win over the visitors.
It was the 14th win in the past 19 games for Oklahoma City and just the third loss in 14 games for the Timberwolves.
“I think we played together on both ends of the floor, for the most part,” said Gilgeous-Alexander, who finished 14 of 19 from the field and also had a team-high nine assists. “When we do that and trust that, things go our way, usually.”
The Thunder controlled much of the contest, taking the lead for good within the first nine minutes.
However, Minnesota did not go away until late on.
The Timberwolves pulled to within three late in the second quarter before Oklahoma City went on a quick 9-1 run fuelled by back-to-back three-pointers by Luguentz Dort.
Then in the third quarter, Gilgeous-Alexander took over.
He scored 14 points, sinking all seven of his field-goal attempts, and added three assists as the Thunder went up by many as 15 points during the period.
After the home side stretched their lead to 19 in the first six minutes of the fourth quarter, Timberwolves coach Chris Finch emptied his bench.
Oklahoma City tied their best field-goal percentage of the season, hitting 60.5 per cent of their shots.
“I thought we really were intelligent with our attacks,” Daigneault said. “They’re a really hard team to crack, obviously, and you’ve got to be really intentional, and I thought our guys did a great job executing.”
Three other Thunder players joined Gilgeous-Alexander with at least 20 points – Jalen Williams added 21 while Dort and Chet Holmgren had 20 apiece.
The teams entered the game as two of the best defensive squads in the league, but early on, it was the offences that made the most noise.
The Timberwolves were sizzling from the floor from the start, shooting 65 per cent (13 of 20) from the field in the first quarter as Anthony Edwards scored 10 of Minnesota’s 35 points in the frame.
The Thunder were even hotter, shooting 70 per cent (14 of 20) from the field in the first, scoring 40 points – their most in a first quarter this season.
Edwards led the Timberwolves on the night with 25 points, while Mike Conley added 17, going five of seven from three-point range. Karl-Anthony Towns scored 16 points and Rudy Gobert added 10.
“I just thought we had great intensity,” Daigneault added. “I thought both teams were outscoring each other in the first period of the game. As the game wore on, we tightened on that end of the floor.”
Despite the loss, the Timberwolves (22-7) are still top in the West, ahead of the Denver Nuggets (22-10) and the Thunder (19-9). REUTERS
