Thunder Defense Propels OKC to Commanding Game 1 Win

Oklahoma City Thunder relied on their top-ranked defense to defeat the Minnesota Timberwolves 114-88 in Tuesday’s first game of the Western Conference finals. Even though the Thunder struggled to score in the first half at only 37.5%, their defense kept them close to reaching the Mavericks. Minnesota was ahead by only four points at halftime, mainly because Oklahoma City took advantage of its opponents’ 18 turnovers.
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After shooting 2-of-13 in the first half, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 31 points and his team outscored Minnesota 70-40 in the second half.
We are trying to stay true to who we are, he added. The start of the game belonged to our defense, helping us hold on.
- All season, the Thunder have stood out for their excellent defensive play:
- They’ve only let teams score an average of 100.7 points per 100 possessions in the postseason
- They are now leading the league by averaging 25.3 points following turnovers so far this postseason
- Minnesota managed only 20 points in the paint and shot 34.9% from the field
Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said their main goal was: “We need to surround the ball, stay active with our help, have confidence in our plan and trust the people around us.” Minnesota’s only bright moment came from Julius Randle, who scored 28 points. But 31 points on turnovers from the Thunder were too much for the Timberwolves to overcome.
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