Thunder’s Dominant Game 1 Win: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Shuts Down Edwards, Leads 114-88 Blowout

Thunder Storm Through Game 1, Shut Down Edwards in Western Conference Finals Blowout

The Western Conference Finals tipped off with a bang—and it wasn’t the Minnesota Timberwolves bringing the thunder.

Nope, that job belonged to Oklahoma City.

In front of a roaring home crowd, the Oklahoma City Thunder flipped the switch in the second half and absolutely steamrolled the Minnesota Timberwolves, 114-88, to take a 1-0 series lead. And man, it wasn’t even close by the time the fourth quarter rolled around.

Let’s break it down because there’s a lot to unpack here.

🎯 Shai Gilgeous-Alexander: Clutch When It Counts

If there’s one name that needs to be on every playoff highlight reel this week, it’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. He led the Thunder with a game-high 31 points, dropping 20 of those in the second half when it mattered most.

"Really good players, you've got to make them uncomfortable," Gilgeous-Alexander told ESPN after the game. "You've got to try to get in their airspace and take away their strengths."

And uncomfortable is exactly what the Thunder made the Timberwolves, especially Anthony Edwards.

🛑 Edwards, Where You At?

After putting up monster numbers in earlier rounds, Anthony Edwards just couldn’t find his rhythm. He was held to 18 points total, with just five in the second half—and get this—zero points in the entire fourth quarter.

That’s not a typo. The Thunder locked him down like Fort Knox.

How?

Simple: relentless defensive pressure.

• The Thunder swarmed the paint, forcing Edwards to settle for contested jumpers.

• They clogged passing lanes, switched with purpose, and rotated like a team that had studied every Timberwolves offensive set in their sleep.

📉 The Numbers Tell the Story

Want to know how lopsided this game really was? Just take a look at the stat sheet.

• Field Goal Percentage: Thunder shot 50% vs. Wolves' 34.9%

• 3-Point Shooting: Thunder drained 52.4%, Wolves stumbled with just 29.4%

• Points in the Paint: A jaw-dropping 54-20 advantage for OKC

• Fast Break Points: Thunder 12, Timberwolves zero (yes, ZERO)

• Points Off Turnovers: OKC dominated 31-10

• Bench Points: Thunder 32, Wolves 26

This wasn’t just a win—it was a statement.

🔁 Let’s Rewind a Bit: How Did It All Start?

Funny enough, it looked like the Timberwolves might control this one early. They came out swinging and scored the first eight points of the game. By the time the first quarter ended, they were up 23-20.

In the second quarter, Julius Randle came alive, pouring in 14 points to help the Wolves maintain a slim lead. Heading into halftime, Minnesota was up 48-44 and probably feeling pretty good about themselves.

Spoiler alert: that good feeling didn’t last long.

🔁 Momentum Shift: Third Quarter Takeover

The game-changing moment came just over two minutes into the third quarter when Chet Holmgren dropped in a smooth little hook shot to give OKC their first lead of the night. That bucket sparked a furious rally.

Even though the lead bounced back and forth six times in the third, the Thunder eventually went on a 17-2 run, flipping a 60-56 deficit into a commanding 73-62 advantage.

• Shai scored 12 points in that third quarter

• Thunder shot a blistering 61.9% from the field in the second half

It was game over from there.

🧊 Cold Finish for the Timberwolves

In the fourth quarter, the Timberwolves looked completely gassed. Whether it was fatigue, frustration, or just being outplayed, nothing was clicking.

• They made just 2 of 10 from beyond the arc in the fourth

• The Thunder? Oh, they knocked down 6 of 8

• OKC also forced five turnovers in the final frame

The final numbers don’t lie: Thunder 114, Timberwolves 88. That’s a 26-point beatdown to kick off the series.

🔦 Other Notable Performers

While Shai was doing his thing, he had plenty of help:

• Jalen Williams dropped 19 points with some sweet cuts and timely buckets.

• Chet Holmgren showed poise beyond his years with 15 points.

• Isaiah Hartenstein chipped in 12 points and held his own in the paint.

For Minnesota, Julius Randle tried to keep his team in it with 28 points, but he didn’t get enough support—especially when Edwards went MIA in the second half.

🏀 What’s Next?

Don’t count the Timberwolves out just yet. Edwards, to his credit, owned up to the loss postgame.

"It was good to get it out of our system in Game 1," he said. "We'll be ready for it [the Thunder defense] in Game 2."

Whether that’s true or just playoff talk, we’ll find out real soon.

• Game 2: Thursday night at 8:30 p.m. ET, still in Oklahoma City

• Game 3: Heads to Minnesota on Saturday

If the Timberwolves want to avoid going down 0-2, they’ll need a completely different version of Anthony Edwards—and a much better shooting night across the board.

💥 Big Takeaways from Game 1

Let’s wrap it up with some quick-hitting points:

• The Thunder defense is legit: They shut down one of the most explosive young players in the league.

• OKC’s offense is balanced: It’s not just Shai—this team has depth, shooters, and smart ball movement.

• Minnesota needs to adjust—and fast: Game 2 will be a test of both strategy and mental toughness.

Final Thought: This isn’t your old-school Thunder team that leans on just one star. This squad is deep, disciplined, and dangerous. If Game 1 is any indication, the road to the NBA Finals might just run through Oklahoma City.