Latest news with #ThunderWin
CNN
27-05-2025
- Entertainment
- CNN
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander leads Oklahoma City Thunder to 3-1 WCF series lead, brink of NBA Finals
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander enjoyed arguably the best playoff game of his career to lead the Oklahoma City Thunder to a 128-126 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves and to within one game of the NBA Finals. After suffering a 42-point beatdown in Game 3, the Thunder led the Timberwolves for the vast majority of a tight Game 4, never trailing after the opening seven minutes. Oklahoma City's lead grew to 11 at the start of the third quarter – the largest lead of the night for either team – and, behind Gilgeous-Alexander's blistering offensive display, managed to hold off a couple of late runs from the T-Wolves. Newly crowned MVP Gilgeous-Alexander was close to a triple-double in a stellar all-around performance, posting a career playoff-high 40 points to go with nine rebounds and another career postseason-high 10 assists. 'We did a good job of staying in the moment tonight,' Gilgeous-Alexander said afterwards. 'We obviously had a bad taste in our mouth from the last game, and we just wanted to control the things that we could control tonight. 'I think staying in the moment was the best way to do so. We could have been better tonight for sure. Tonight wasn't perfect, but we gave ourselves a chance … and we got a W.' Jalen Williams continues to show why he is one of the best No. 2s in the league with an efficient 34 points, five assists and three steals, while Chet Holmgren added another 21 points for the Thunder. For Minnesota, it was another quiet night for young superstar Anthony Edwards who has struggled this series against the many looks of Oklahoma's defense. Edwards lamented after Game 1 that he only 'took 13 f**king shots,' before doubling his shot attempts for Game 2. However, in Minnesota's Game 3 blowout, Edwards' attempts were down at 17 and then back down to 13 for Game 4. Edwards finished with 16 points on 5-of-13 shooting, including 1-of-7 from three-point range. After bouncing back in Game 3 from a poor Game 2 showing, Julius Randle struggled again in Game 4 and finished with a career playoff-low five points on 1-of-7 shooting. Minnesota was kept in the contest by 22 points from starting forward Jaden McDaniels and 23 and 21 points, respectively, from Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Donte DiVincenzo off the bench. 'I don't really look at it like I struggled,' Edwards said postgame. 'I didn't get enough shots to say I struggled, so that might be how you guys look at it. But, yeah, I didn't struggle at all. I just made the right play.' Randle said he thought his own performance was 'a lot of me just spectating.' 'I got to figure out a way to get myself involved in actions,' Randle added. 'I think I didn't take my first shot in the second half until there were 20 seconds left in the third quarter. 'I got to figure out a way to get myself in position to be more aggressive, rather than just standing, spectating or trying to crash the glass.' The series returns to Oklahoma City for Game 5 on Wednesday when the Thunder will be bidding to make a first Finals appearance since 2012.
CNN
27-05-2025
- Entertainment
- CNN
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander leads Oklahoma City Thunder to 3-1 WCF series lead, brink of NBA Finals
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander enjoyed arguably the best playoff game of his career to lead the Oklahoma City Thunder to a 128-126 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves and to within one game of the NBA Finals. After suffering a 42-point beatdown in Game 3, the Thunder led the Timberwolves for the vast majority of a tight Game 4, never trailing after the opening seven minutes. Oklahoma City's lead grew to 11 at the start of the third quarter – the largest lead of the night for either team – and, behind Gilgeous-Alexander's blistering offensive display, managed to hold off a couple of late runs from the T-Wolves. Newly crowned MVP Gilgeous-Alexander was close to a triple-double in a stellar all-around performance, posting a career playoff-high 40 points to go with nine rebounds and another career postseason-high 10 assists. 'We did a good job of staying in the moment tonight,' Gilgeous-Alexander said afterwards. 'We obviously had a bad taste in our mouth from the last game, and we just wanted to control the things that we could control tonight. 'I think staying in the moment was the best way to do so. We could have been better tonight for sure. Tonight wasn't perfect, but we gave ourselves a chance … and we got a W.' Jalen Williams continues to show why he is one of the best No. 2s in the league with an efficient 34 points, five assists and three steals, while Chet Holmgren added another 21 points for the Thunder. For Minnesota, it was another quiet night for young superstar Anthony Edwards who has struggled this series against the many looks of Oklahoma's defense. Edwards lamented after Game 1 that he only 'took 13 f**king shots,' before doubling his shot attempts for Game 2. However, in Minnesota's Game 3 blowout, Edwards' attempts were down at 17 and then back down to 13 for Game 4. Edwards finished with 16 points on 5-of-13 shooting, including 1-of-7 from three-point range. After bouncing back in Game 3 from a poor Game 2 showing, Julius Randle struggled again in Game 4 and finished with a career playoff-low five points on 1-of-7 shooting. Minnesota was kept in the contest by 22 points from starting forward Jaden McDaniels and 23 and 21 points, respectively, from Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Donte DiVincenzo off the bench. 'I don't really look at it like I struggled,' Edwards said postgame. 'I didn't get enough shots to say I struggled, so that might be how you guys look at it. But, yeah, I didn't struggle at all. I just made the right play.' Randle said he thought his own performance was 'a lot of me just spectating.' 'I got to figure out a way to get myself involved in actions,' Randle added. 'I think I didn't take my first shot in the second half until there were 20 seconds left in the third quarter. 'I got to figure out a way to get myself in position to be more aggressive, rather than just standing, spectating or trying to crash the glass.' The series returns to Oklahoma City for Game 5 on Wednesday when the Thunder will be bidding to make a first Finals appearance since 2012.
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander unbothered by ‘free-throw merchant' chants: ‘I don't care'
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander doesn't mind the new label he's earning in Minnesota. After all, it's working. The Oklahoma City Thunder star and league MVP, after he led the team to a narrow 128-126 win over the Timberwolves in Game 4 of the Western Conference finals on Monday night, said the 'free-throw merchant' chants he's been getting aren't bothering him. If anything, it's the opposite. 'In terms of the label, I don't care,' he said. 'I never cared … I've shot more free throws in a season than I did this season. I think because we're on top of everybody's radar, it's a little more noticeable and now people care about it. "I kind of see it as a compliment.' 'I don't care. I never cared. … I kinda see it as a compliment.' SGA on free throw merchant chants 😅🗣️ — Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) May 27, 2025 Gilgeous-Alexander went 12 of 14 from the free-throw line in Monday's win at the Target Center. He accounted for all but four of the team's made free throws, too, and two-thirds of their attempted shots from the stripe. Gilgeous-Alexander also scored Oklahoma City's final five points from the free-throw line, though he missed a critical one down the stretch that could have put the game away earlier. He finished the night just shy of a triple-double with 40 points, 10 assists and 9 rebounds in the win, which put the Thunder up 3-1 in the series. Timberwolves fans didn't let up on Gilgeous-Alexander one bit on Monday, and repeatedly hit him with 'free-throw merchant" chants. Wolves fans are chanting "free throw merchant" at SGA 😅 — SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) May 27, 2025 ESPN's Doris Burke also called him out in the first half, too, after he drew a simple foul from Rudy Gobert that got him to the charity stripe. There was nothing wrong or illegal about Gilgeous-Alexander's move on that play, either. Players throughout the NBA do the exact same thing on a nightly basis during the season, as it's successful and an easy way to get points on the board more often than not. 'This is why he's called the free throw merchant'DORRIS BURKE LMAOOOOO — 𝑩𝒐𝒔𝒕𝒐𝒏'𝒔 𝑩𝒖𝒓𝒏𝒆𝒓 (@Tatums0Burner) May 27, 2025 Gilgeous-Alexander led the league with 7.9 made free throws per game this season, and he attempted the second-most per game in the NBA behind only Giannis Antetokounmpo. Gilgeous-Alexander, as he noted, beat both of those figures significantly during the 2022-23 campaign. While opposing fans may find it annoying, Gilgeous-Alexander isn't likely to let them get into his head at this point. With the Thunder now just a single win away from reaching their first NBA Finals since 2012, there is absolutely no reason for him to change his strategy. Like it or not, it's incredibly effective.
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander unbothered by ‘free throw merchant' chants: ‘I don't care'
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander doesn't mind the new label he's earning in Minnesota. After all, it's working. The Oklahoma City Thunder star and league MVP, after he led the team to a narrow 128-126 win over the Timberwolves in Game 4 of the Western Conference finals on Monday night, said the 'free throw merchant' chants he's been getting aren't bothering him. If anything, it's the opposite. 'In terms of the label, I don't care,' he said. 'I never cared … I've shot more free throws in a season than I did this season. I think because we're on top of everybody's radar, it's a little more noticeable and now people care about it. "I kind of see it as a compliment.' Gilgeous-Alexander went 12-of-14 from the free throw line in Monday's win at the Target Center. He accounted for all but four of the team's made free throws, too, and 2/3 of their attempted shots from the stripe. Advertisement Gilgeous-Alexander also scored Oklahoma City's final five points from the free throw line, though he missed a critical one down the stretch that could have put the game away earlier. He finished the night just shy of a triple-double with 40 points, 10 assists and nine rebounds in the win, which put the Thunder up 3-1 in the series. Timberwolves fans didn't let up on Gilgeous-Alexander one bit on Monday, and repeatedly hit him with 'free throw merchant chants." ESPN's Doris Burke also called him out in the first half, too, after he drew a simple foul from Rudy Gobert that got him to the free throw line. There was nothing wrong or illegal about Gilgeous-Alexander's move on that play, either. Players throughout the NBA do the exact same thing on a nightly basis during the season, as it's successful and an easy way to get points on the board more often than not. Gilgeous-Alexander led the league with 7.9 made free throws per game this season, and he attempted the second-most per game in the NBA behind only Giannis Antetokounmpo. Gilgeous-Alexander, as he noted, beat both of those figures significantly during the 2022-23 campaign. Advertisement While opposing fans may find it annoying, Gilgeous-Alexander isn't likely to let them get into his head at this point. With the Thunder now just a single win away from reaching their first NBA Finals since 2012, there is absolutely no reason for him to change his strategy. Like it or not, it's incredibly effective.
USA Today
04-03-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Photos: Best images from Thunder's 137-128 win over Rockets
Photos: Best images from Thunder's 137-128 win over Rockets The Oklahoma City Thunder collected a 137-128 win over the Houston Rockets on Monday. After the latter had punted the contest by ruling out several top players, it turned into the Shai Gilgeous-Alexander show. Gilgeous-Alexander finished with 51 points on 18-of-30 shooting. He shot 5-of-9 from 3 and went 10-of-10 on free throws. It was his fourth 50-point game of the season. Jalen Williams tallied 24 points on 8-of-16 shooting. Meanwhile, Cam Whitmore had 27 points and 11 rebounds. Reed Sheppard had the best game of his career with 25 points on 10-of-17 shooting. Let's look at some of the best photos from the Thunder's nine-point win over the Rockets:
