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USA Today
27-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Timberwolves vs. Thunder live updates: Scores, highlights from NBA West finals Game 4
Timberwolves vs. Thunder live updates: Scores, highlights from NBA West finals Game 4 Show Caption Hide Caption Thunder's Shai Gilgeous-Alexander tears up in MVP speech NBA MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's acceptance speech turns emotional as pay tribute to his wife The Minnesota Timberwolves are on the board. The Timberwolves defeated the Oklahoma City Thunder 143-101 in Game 3 on Saturday to win their first game of the Western Conference finals and cut the deficit to 2-1 in the series. Can Minnesota replicate Saturday's effort in Game 4 on Monday to tie the series before it shifts back to Oklahoma City? Anthony Edwards and the Timberwolves will have to find a way to slow Thunder superstar Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who was named the 2025 NBA MVP. Through the first three games of the Western Conference finals, Gilgeous-Alexander is averaging 27.7 points, 7.7 assists and 3.3 rebounds vs. the Timberwolves. Minnesota is not only vying for its first NBA championship, the Timberwolves are also looking for their first NBA Finals appearance. The Thunder last appeared in the NBA Finals in 2012, but the franchise has not won an NBA championship in Oklahoma City. (The Seattle SuperSonics won a title in 1979 before the franchise was renamed and relocated in 2008.) We may finally have a close finish in the Western Conference finals. Oklahoma City felt a step ahead of Minnesota for the majority of the first half, but something changed in the Minnesota locker room at halftime. The Timberwolves were clicking offensively, getting big shots from Donte DiVincenzo. His 3-pointer with four minutes left made it a tie ballgame at 79 as the Target Center crowd was revived. However, the Thunder attacked right back and didn't let the Timberwolves get the lead, something they haven't had since there were seven minutes left in the first quarter. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander continues to have a stellar game with a game-high 29 points along with seven assists and six rebounds. Jalen Williams has also come up huge with 20 points. It's been a relatively quiet night for Anthony Edwards as Lu Dort has made it tough for the Minnesota star to find buckets. He has just 10 points, but the bench has stepped up big for the home team. Nickeil Alexander-Walker has a team-high 16 points and the bench accounts for 43 points. Turnovers still remain a problem for Minnesota with 19 while Oklahoma City has given it up 10 times. Oklahoma City' MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 13 of his 21 points in the first quarter and Jalen Williams has 15 points as the Thunder took a 65-57 lead into halftime. Gilgeous-Alexander also has six assists, and Chet Holmgren has 10 points and five rebounds. The Timberwolves remain close despite just four points on two field goal attempts from Anthony Edwards. Jaden McDaniels leads Minnesota in scoring with 12 points. Timberwolves reserve Terrence Shannon Jr., who had played sparingly in the playoffs but excelled in Game 3 with 15 points, had seven points – all in the second quarter – and Nickeil Alexander-Walker scored 11 points in the first half for Minnesota. Both teams are shooting extremely well: Oklahoma City is at 48% from the field and 41.7% on 3-pointers, and Minnesota is at 50% and 44.4%. Turnovers are once again hurting the Timberwolves who have 13 turnovers and 12 fewer field goal attempts than the Thunder. Oklahoma City has started the contest with a much more aggressive approach than the Game 3 disaster while Minnesota has had issues taking care of the ball after the first 12 minutes. Both sides were great getting the ball in the bucket as Minnesota was 12-for-19 (63.2%) and Oklahoma City was 14-for-25 (56%). However, the Timberwolves couldn't capitalize to find a rhythm with seven turnovers in the quarter. The MVP has been playing like one so far with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scoring or assisting on 24 of the Thunder's first quarter points. He has 13 points and the Thunder have gotten big contributions from Jalen Williams, who has knocked down three 3-pointers and also has 13 points. Jaden McDaniels led the Timberwolves with 10 points. Three-time Naismith College Basketball coach of the year John Calipari is attending Game 4. Calipari, who led the Arkansas Razorbacks to the Sweet 16 in his first year as head coach last season, helmed Kentucky from 2009-2024. While with the Wildcats' program, he coached Thunder players Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the 2025 NBA MVP, and Cason Wallace and Wolves players Julius Randle and Rob Dillingham. Thunder Jalen Williams Chet Holmgren Isaiah Hartenstein Lu Dort Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Timberwolves Jaden McDaniels Julius Randle Rudy Gobert Anthony Edwards Mike Conley The Thunder have one of the deepest teams in the league, but in the playoffs, rotations tighten and some reserves might not get as much playing time. Thunder coach Mark Daigneault preaches readiness regardless. 'We try to create an environment and a culture of readiness, and part of the way that you do that, it's by throwing guys in the game,' Daigneault said. 'It's one thing to say, 'Hey, you got to stay ready.' It's quite another to put your money where your mouth is and throw guys out there and give guys opportunities. Especially like I said, if the game's not going the way that we want it to, we try to shake things up and try to see if we can ignite something. 'Obviously we weren't able to do that the other night, but I think that sets a healthy tone for the team and the more you do that and the more the players see that, even if it's not their number getting called, I think it gets their attention and it reminds them that at any moment you could be called upon and they've done a great job of that. Usually when we do that, we get a pretty good lift from it.' In Game 1 of the Western Conference finals, the Timberwolves committed 19 turnovers leading to 34 Thunder points. In Game 2, Minnesota had 14 turnovers leading to 22 Oklahoma City points. The Timberwolves lost both games. In Game 3 at home, the Timberwolves turned the basketball over just 10 times for 15 Thunder points and won. "Hopefully we've learned enough lessons, but they're really good,' Minnesota coach Chris Finch said of the Thunder and their top-ranked defense. "They really force you into tight spots and they swarm you when they get there, so everything's got to be a little bit earlier than you're used to. … "The faster we play, the quicker our decision-making is. The quicker our decision-making is, the better we are. When we get caught holding or surveying too long or probing or exploring things for ourselves too much, that's when we invite trouble. And this is what this team really thrives on. This OKC defense just feasts on that." Game 4 of the NBA Western Conference finals between the Minnesota Timberwolves and Oklahoma City Thunder is set to start at 8:30 p.m. ET, on Monday, May 26. How to watch Minnesota Timberwolves vs. Oklahoma City Thunder: TV, stream Time: 8:30 p.m. ET 8:30 p.m. ET Location: Target Center (Minneapolis) Target Center (Minneapolis) TV: ESPN ESPN Stream: ESPN+, Fubo Watch Timberwolves vs. Thunder Game 4 on Fubo Minnesota Timberwolves vs. Oklahoma City Thunder Game 4 odds The Oklahoma City Thunder are favored to win Game 4, according to BetMGM. Odds as of Monday, May 26. Spread : Thunder -3.5 : Thunder -3.5 Moneyline : Thunder (-150), Timberwolves (+125) : Thunder (-150), Timberwolves (+125) Over/under: 218.5 Thunder lead series 2-1 The USA TODAY app gets you to the heart of the news — fast. Download for award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and more.
Forbes
19-04-2025
- Sport
- Forbes
Record-Setting Oklahoma City Is NBA Western Conference Favorite
Even Nikola Jokić and the Denver Nuggets are chasing OKC's Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in the NBA West ... More (Photo by) Western Conference top seed Oklahoma City had the best season in NBA history by one marker, but that hardly means the Thunder will sail through the playoffs. Behind point guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and a smothering defense, the 68-14 Thunder are the favorite to reach the NBA FInals. In a seriously deep NBA West, however, home court advantage throughout may not be enough. LeBron James and new playmate Luca Dončić have given the Los Angeles Lake Show life. Stephen Curry and new wingman Jimmy Butler have revitalized the Golden State Warriors. Jimmy Butler and Stephen Curry lead the Warriors into the playoffs. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu) And Denver center Nikola Jokić remains the best player in the league, no matter how the MVP voting shakes out. Upsets are not really upsets in the West. The top-seeded Thunder lost to No. 5 seed Dallas in the second round a year ago, when Dončić and the Mavericks extended that run all the way to the Finals before losing to Boston. The Nuggets, the defending champion and No. 2 seed a year ago, also lost in the second round. The first two of the West playoff series begin Saturday, when the Nuggets host the Los Angeles Clippers and the Lakers host the Minnesota Timberwolves. Three-time MVP Nikola Jokić averaged a triple-double in the regular season, arguably his best. (AP ... More Photo/David Zalubowski) Season series: Oklahoma City, 4-0 Game 1: Sunday, at Oklahoma City, 1 pm ET The Thunder set an record for greatest point differential in league history when they outscored opponents by an average of 12.9 points per game. That is a lot of garbage time. Gilgeous-Alexander was the ring-leader, averaging a league-high 32.7 points per game with 6.4 assists. The plan is simple: give him the ball and let him work. He led the league in field goal attempts and free throws made per game, finishing with an effective field goal percentage of 56.9 and a free throw percentage of 89.8. Oklahoma CIty bigs Isaiah Hartenstein (left) and Chet Holmgren protect the interior. (AP Photo/Nate ... More Billings) The Thunder have six other double-digit scoers, and the interior presence of Chet Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein makes it hard to score on them in the paint. The Thunder lead the league in steals and are second in blocked shots. The Grizzlies are one of three playoff teams operating with a new coach after Taylor Jenkins was fired March 28. There is plenty of firepower – guards Ja Morant and Desmond Bane and big Jaren Jackson are a strong front three, but the depth is suspect. Interim coach Tuomas Iisalo loves the pick-and-roll, and so does Morant, but it remains to be seen how far that can thake the Grizzlies. Prediction: Oklahoma City in four. Season series: Golden State, 3-2 Game 1: Sunday, at Houston, 9:30 pm ET First came Barista Jimmy. While with Miami, Jimmy Butler served speciality coffees in his hotel room in the 2020 playoffs, when teams were confined to their hotels by Covid-19 restrictions. The Heat made the Finals, losing to the Lakers. Then came Giant-Killer Jimmy, whose remarkable shot-making helped the Heat upset No. 1 seed and defending NBA champ Milwaukee in the first round in 2023. They again made the Finals before falling to Denver. Now Sidekick Jimmy, whose forced mid-season trade to Golden State kick-started the Warriors. Steph Curry and Butler combined for 75 points, 15 rebounds and 10 assists in the play-in victory over Memphis, and the Warriors appears primed for another long playoff run. Guard Jalen Green and big man Alperen Sengun are Houston's major contributors, but this team's identity is in its gritty defense personified by coach Ime Udoka and young wing Amen Thompson. Fred Van Vleet and Dillon Brooks are the only starters with playoff experience, and half-court execution has been an issue. Prediction: Golden State in five. Season series: Split, 2-2 Game 1: Saturday, at Los Angeles, 8:30 pm ET The Lakers' Feb. 2 acquisition of Dončić from Dallas not only stunned the industry but also gave ageless wing LeBron Jones another scoring threat. The deal turned the Lakers from just another contender to a team that could win it all. The Lakers are 22-13 since acquiring Dončić and 19-9 in games in which he has played. Dončić almost single-handedly lifted the Mavericks into the 2024 Finals when he averaged 28.9 points, 9.5 rebounds and 8.1 assists in 22 playoff games. He may not get as many shots, with James (24.4 points) and blossoming Austin Reaves (20.2) around. The Lakers' perceived weakness — rebounding — is a Minnesota strength, which could make things interesting. Anthony Edwards was fourth in the league in scoring, and it is hard to match his athleticism. The Wolves lost to Dončić in the West finals a year ago and replaced Karl-Anthony Towns with Julius Randle, a net loss. Prediction: Lakers in seven Season series: Split, 2-2 Game 1: Saturday, at Denver, 3:30 pm ET We'll see how the Nuggets respond to the firing of head coach Mike Malone and general manager Calvin Booth, who were let go with three games remaining in an up-and-down regular season despite another MVP-caliber year from Jokić. The stated reason: players were not responding. Denver guard Jamal Murray is seeking another NBA title. (AP Photo/Morry Gash) Jokić became the third player in NBA history to average a triple double when he averaged 29.6 points, 12.7 rebounds, 10.2 assists, joining Oscar Robertson and Russell Westbrook. The Nuggets added Westbrook last summer rather than go over the second apron to re-sign free agent starting guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, and the difference has been noticeable. The Nuggets need the Jamal Murray who helped them to the 2023 title. Guard James Harden reprised his role as a difference maker with the surprising Clippers, who played without Kawhi Leonard (knee injury) for the first 2 1/2 months and just recently have used him in back-to-back games. Harden averaged 22.8 points, his most in four years, and Leonard has looked like his old self at 21.5 points per game. His injury absences have doomed the Clippers in the recent past. Prediction: Denver in seven.
