Thunder's Shai Gilgeous-Alexander adds to Timberwolves woes with MVP 2-way play
The post Thunder's Shai Gilgeous-Alexander adds to Timberwolves woes with MVP 2-way play appeared first on ClutchPoints.
The Oklahoma City Thunder are officially four wins away from winning the NBA championship after handily taking care of business against the Minnesota Timberwolves, 124-94, in Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, after having some efficiency troubles in the previous series against the Denver Nuggets, has made mincemeat of the Timberwolves' defense, scoring 34 points on 14-25 shooting in the closeout game, deservedly winning WCF MVP honors in the process.
Advertisement
But Gilgeous-Alexander isn't just an unstoppable offensive force. He is also an instrumental part of the Thunder's elite defense that forces turnovers at a historically great rate. And towards the end of the Thunder's Game 5 beatdown of the Timberwolves, the 2025 NBA MVP showed that he's one of the best two-way players in the game by breaking up a one-two play from cousin Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Anthony Edwards, converting the steal into an emphatic jam in transition.
Gilgeous-Alexander finished the WCF averaging 1.8 steals per contest, proving how disruptive he is as well on the defensive end. He has long shown excellent instinct on that end of the floor, and it's him being a stout presence defensively that made him quite the no-brainer pick for MVP in the end even if Nikola Jokic had the better statistical season by far.
It must be very validating for Gilgeous-Alexander to see all his work result in all of this success for the Thunder. Oklahoma City's growth as a team has mirrored that of his personal development as a player. The Thunder front office's faith in him, that he could be the best player on a championship team, is paying off, and now, they are closer than ever to a championship — awaiting the winner of the barnburner Eastern Conference Finals matchup between the Indiana Pacers and New York Knicks in what is shaping up to be an exciting NBA Finals series.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Thunder show how a rebuild is done
Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images
When the Thunder officially blew it up in 2020, many expected a painful rebuilding process to ensue. Little did everyone know that they would already have a future MVP on the roster in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander instead of needing to develop one via the NBA Draft. Since then, they have hit on nearly every move — drafting Chet Holmgren and Jalen Williams in 2022 were major triumphs, Cason Wallace was an excellent lottery pick, and even Josh Giddey, their 2021 lottery pick, was turned into Alex Caruso.
Of course, Luguentz Dort was also a bonafide win for the Thunder development team; turning an undrafted player into one of the most important 3-and-D cogs in the league was quite the major victory. Now, it looks like the Thunder have all the pieces needed to complete the championship puzzle.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CNN
13 minutes ago
- CNN
Aaron Judge and Shohei Ohtani hit historic home runs as Dodgers defeat Yankees
Two of baseball's biggest stars lined up against each other on Friday and produced a blockbuster, historic game. First Aaron Judge and then Shohei Ohtani homered at their respective first at bats of the game, making history as the first reigning MVPs to hit a home run in the opening inning of the same game. That opening salvo promised a thrilling game, one worthy of its billing as a rematch of last season's World Series. And like in the Fall Classic, the Los Angeles Dodgers came back to defeat the New York Yankees, overturning a three-run deficit at the bottom of the sixth to take an 8-5 win at Dodger Stadium. 'It was a really good start to the game, it was a back and forth between two really good teams and I'm glad we came out at the top,' Ohtani said afterward through interpreter Will Ireton. The Japanese superstar has already scored 60 runs this season, reaching that milestone faster than any other MLB player in the modern era, according to OptaSTATS. 'I feel like he was copying me,' Judge joked afterward, telling reporters about Ohtani's home run just after his own. 'He's impressive. He's one of the best players in the game for a reason; what he can do in the box, on the basepaths, once he gets back on the mound, it's special.' Though Ohtani's homer tied the game, the Yankees displayed their impressively deep offensive line-up with Austin Wells, Trent Grisham, and Paul Goldschmidt all contributing home runs of their own to make it 5-2 after the fifth inning. There was still time for Ohtani to add a second homer to his tally, and he smashed one out to right center field at the bottom of the sixth, sparking a four-run inning that changed the complexion of the game. That homer, Ohtani's league-leading 22nd of the season, marked the first of five consecutive Dodgers hits, loading the bases and making it a high scoring inning. 'With Shohei, he would probably say it's just like any other game,' Dodgers manager Dave Roberts told reporters afterward. 'But I do think that when you see the reigning MVP on the other side, and going out there and performing, that brings out even more of a competitor in Shohei. And obviously, it brought up a lot of excitement from the fans.' A two-run single from outfielder Andy Pages in seventh inning gave the Dodgers a 8-5 lead, a margin they never relinquished. The two teams next face each other on Saturday.
USA Today
an hour ago
- USA Today
Should the OKC Thunder root for the Pacers or Knicks to advance to 2025 NBA Finals?
Should the OKC Thunder root for the Pacers or Knicks to advance to 2025 NBA Finals? The Oklahoma City Thunder will have another week off before their next playoff series. After they beat the Minnesota Timberwolves in five games in the Western Conference Finals, they await their 2025 NBA Finals opponent. It'll either be the Indiana Pacers or the New York Knicks. The Thunder cruised through the West. They have been 12-4 in the playoffs so far with mostly blowout wins. After a historic 68-14 regular season, their dominance has carried over to the postseason as a buzzsaw. Meanwhile, the Pacers remain red-hot. Late-game heroics and upsets have fueled their playoff run as they hold a 3-2 series lead over the Knicks. Speaking of, New York has had three straight classic playoff series. They were all heavyweight bouts with close wins. Let's spell out every argument for the Pacers and Knicks as to why the Thunder should and shouldn't favor a matchup against them in the 2025 NBA Finals: The case for the Pacers The Thunder won both regular-season meetings against the Pacers. The first was a close road win on the day after Christmas. The second was a blowout home victory in late March. Both featured Tyrese Haliburton being shut down. That's a very replicable game plan. The Pacers are deep, but Haliburton is the center of their universe. He's led the playoffs in assists at 9.5. The playmaker has orchestrated the top offense. That plays right into the Thunder's strength. They can throw Lu Dort, Alex Caruso and Cason Wallace at Indiana's franchise star. If you can rattle him, the rest of the roster will be affected. If the Thunder can force Andrew Nembhard to be the lead ball-handler, that'll be a huge win. He can put up numbers, but Indiana's offense will nosedive if Haliburton devolves into an off-ball player. They also have a perfect counter to Pascal Siakam and Myles Turner with Chet Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein. Also, good luck slowing down Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. The Pacers have zero high-end defenders to throw at him. This should be a series where he averages an efficient 30-plus points and dissects Indiana's defense. Look at what Jalen Brunson has done to them. The case against the Pacers If anybody can make the Thunder rethink their defensive philosophy, it's the Pacers. The league-best defense is cool with conceding outside looks, especially from the corners. They trust their high-end perimeter defenders to make the right rotations to contest. It's worked out so far in the playoffs, too. The Thunder have allowed the fourth-most 3-pointers in the playoffs at 38.7 attempts. Despite that, opponents have only shot 33.1% from deep. Some of that is luck, while some of that is that they haven't faced a team filled with elite outside shooters. Looking at the Pacers' roster, their entire starting lineup is an outside threat. Any of them can randomly go off for 20 points because they hit their outside buckets. The Pacers could challenge that. They've shot a league-best 39.3% from 3 in the playoffs. That's on a decent volume of 33.4 attempts. They've had the best offense in the playoffs because of their hot outside shooting. Any misreads or lazy closeouts by OKC could snowball on the scoreboard. The case for the Knicks The Thunder won both regular-season meetings against the Knicks. They had a strong fourth quarter to mount a comeback in their first win in early January. The next week, they blew out New York at MSG. Isaiah Joe exploded for 31 points while Gilgeous-Alexander had an efficient 30-plus points in both matchups. Like the Denver Nuggets, the Knicks are a top-heavy squad. It shouldn't be a shocker to see Tom Thibodeau only trust seven players. They have a strong starting lineup with Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns being their best two players. Brunson will get his stats. He averaged 24.5 points and seven rebounds in two games against OKC, but on 42% shooting. Considering how quiet Anthony Edwards and Ja Morant were against the Thunder, they have the proper perimeter defenders to limit New York's best player. The Thunder could rely on the Denver route and dare others like Mikal Bridges and OG Anunoby to beat them from the outside. Meanwhile, the Thunder have enjoyed role players going off against the Knicks. Although it was in the regular season, if they can get a random Joe or Aaron Wiggins pop-off game, that could swing the odds even heavier in OKC's favor. The case against the Knicks While Gilgeous-Alexander has been viewed as the best player in these playoffs, Brunson is seen as the second-best. He's averaged 30.1 points on 46.1% shooting and seven assists. He's been a high-volume outside shooter at 36% on 7.5 attempts. The free-throw numbers have remained strong at 8.2 attempts. While the Thunder would be the best defense Brunson has faced, he could be a player who will get his regardless of the defenders thrown his way. Expect the All-Star to get to the rim and annoy OKC fans with the number of calls he gets. He could be a one-man show that keeps New York in it. Towns could also have a decent series. He's the right combination of size and skill. This could be another series where Isaiah Hartenstein could be played off the court if New York is smart and cross-matches against the bruising big. Let's also throw in the homecourt advantage. MSG is known as the Basketball Mecca. That type of nickname carries an aura about its playoff atmosphere. Several A-list celebrities have enlisted as Knicks mascots. The bright lights could be a little too much for the young Thunder. Final verdict The Thunder should enter the NBA Finals as a heavy favorite regardless of who advances. The West is just a different animal. The Pacers and Knicks are closer to the Memphis Grizzlies than the Nuggets or Timberwolves on the talent scale. But if the Thunder had a preferred matchup, it would be the Knicks. A 3-1 series comeback is a daunting task that should require all of their energy. A Game 7 win on Monday would only give the two days to relax before the NBA Finals tipped off in OKC. That already puts them at a disadvantage before Game 1 even started, considering how top-heavy they are. And while Brunson brings his challenges, the Thunder will be numbed by the undersized scorer. Nikola Jokic was the ultimate stress test. They held him to one of his worst playoff series ever, which was only salvaged by a couple of 40-point outbursts. OKC grew from that experience. No offense to Brunson, but he's nowhere near the one-man threat the three-time MVP winner is. The Thunder have handled the Knicks well over the last few years. Gilgeous-Alexander has dominated New York. He should play like an MVP winner against them. Even if Bridges, Anunoby and Josh Hart each get their turn to slow him down. Not to sound too cocky, but it should be a quick Finals series.
USA Today
an hour ago
- USA Today
Boston Celtics jersey history No. 20 - Sherman Douglas (1992-95)
Boston Celtics jersey history No. 20 - Sherman Douglas (1992-95) The Boston Celtics have had players suiting up in a total of 68 different jersey numbers (and have three others not part of any numerical series) since their founding at the dawn of the Basketball Association of America (BAA -- the league that would become today's NBA), worn by well over 500 players in the course of Celtics history. To commemorate the players who wore those numbers, Celtics Wire is covering the entire history of jersey numbers and the players who sported them since the founding of the team. With 25 of those jerseys now retired to honor some of the greatest Celtics to wear those jerseys, there is a lot of history to cover. And for today's article, we will continue with the 18th of 31 people to wear the No. 20 jersey, Boston guard alum Sherman Douglas. After ending his college career at Syracuse, Douglas was picked up with the 28th overall selection of the 1989 NBA draft by the Miami Heat. The Washington, District of Columbia native would play parts of the first three seasons of his pro career with the heat, coming to an end when he was dealt to Boston in 1992. His stay with the team would span parts of five seasons, ending when he was dealt to the Milwaukee Bucks in 1995. During his time suiting up for the Celtics, Douglas wore only jersey Nos. 4 and 20 and put up 11.1 points, 2.2 rebounds, and 6.8 assists per game. All stats and data courtesy of Basketball Reference.
