How OKC Thunder reversed the math to find winning equation in Game 1 vs Timberwolves
You can do a lot in the time it takes for a Lu Dort 3-pointer to orbit Paycom Center.
Like scan the box score and realize how rare of a shot that was for the Thunder in Game 1 of the Western Conference finals. Not just for Dort, but the Thunder as a whole. There was very little chuckery by modern NBA standards in the Thunder's 114-88 win over the Wolves on Tuesday night in Oklahoma City.
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Rather than hoping for rain, the Thunder relentlessly attacked the rim.
OKC pummeled Minnesota 54-20 in the paint — which is going to need a fresh coat before Game 2 on Thursday.
'I don't know what the number was, but we probably took 50 shots in the paint,' Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said.
He should do this for a living. It was 50 on the nose.
The shot charts of the two teams were an inverse of each other.
Fifty shots in the paint for the Thunder. Twenty-three for the Wolves.
CARLSON: Kenrich Williams' 'invisible work' for Thunder pays off with stunning jolt vs Timberwolves
Fifty-one 3-point attempts for the Wolves — a playoff high. Twenty-one for the Thunder — and the Thunder made 11 of them (52%).
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Just how much of an outlier is that? The fewest 3-pointers the Thunder attempted in a game this season before Tuesday was 27.
'I liked our blend tonight,' Daigneault said. 'I thought the (3s) we took were good. We probably could've took more. I thought we missed some passes, especially in the first half, but like I said, it's a new opponent.'
Having conquered Denver's zone defense, which tempted the Thunder with an unlimited diet of 3-pointers, Minnesota's dogged man-to-man defense led the Thunder to its bread and butter.
Drive after drive after drive after drive.
The Thunder hasn't been making 3s this postseason. No need to even try them Tuesday with the way the Wolves defended.
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'Just us playing basketball,' said Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who had a game-high 31 points despite going 0 of 4 from 3. 'I don't think we ever focus on what type of shots. As long as they're good ones, we try to let 'em rip.'
More: NBA Playoffs roundtable: Three big questions for Thunder vs Timberwolves in West finals
Oklahoma City Thunder forward Chet Holmgren (7) celebrates after a dunk between Minnesota Timberwolves forward Julius Randle (30), forward Jaden McDaniels (3) and guard Donte DiVincenzo (0) during Game 1 of the NBA Western Conference Finals between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Minnesota Timberwolves at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Tuesday, May 20, 2025.
Eight of the Thunder's 11 3-pointers came off the bench. Alex Caruso was a perfect 3 of 3. Kenrich Williams was 2 of 2. Cason Wallace and Isaiah Joe each had one, as did Dillon Jones in garbage time. Eight of the Thunder's 21 3-point attempts came in the fourth quarter, by the way.
Here's another number for you.
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The Thunder took as many 3s (21) as Donte DiVincenzo and Nickeil Alexander-Walker — both of whom came off Minnesota's bench! Those two combined to go 5 of 21.
Whereas Denver laid back in the anyone-but-Shai defense, Minnesota pressured the Thunder almost as soon as the ball crossed halfcourt. The Thunder feasted in part off Minnesota's aggression with open pathways to the hoop.
'We've been playing Denver for two weeks,' Daigneault said. 'It took us a second to calibrate that, but we got better as the game went on, and now we have to get better as the series goes along.'
The obvious counter for the Wolves is to pull a Denver and go zone. That would require Chris Finch's crew to swallow its pride.
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'They were getting downhill, so they weren't really looking to kick out a whole lot,' the Minnesota coach said of OKC's dearth of 3-point attempts. 'Not sure how much of that was on us.'
It's on Minnesota to respond. If not, this series could be a short one.
5 TAKEAWAYS: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Thunder trounce Timberwolves by 26 to take Game 1
Joe Mussatto is a sports columnist for The Oklahoman. Have a story idea for Joe? Email him at jmussatto@oklahoman.com . Support Joe's work and that of other Oklahoman journalists by purchasing a digital subscription today at subscribe.oklahoman.com .
This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: NBA Playoffs: Thunder relies on paint points vs Timberwolves in Game 1
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