Timberwolves' chemistry tested in 113-105 loss to Thunder

Chris Hine, The Minnesota Star Tribune on Dec 31, 2024

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OKLAHOMA CITY — Last season, the Timberwolves and Thunder went toe to toe for the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference until the final day of the regular season. This season, the entire West is looking up at Oklahoma City, which began the night five games ahead of No. 2 Memphis.

For the Wolves, the mission is to find a groove and chemistry with this roster that by the time the playoffs roll around, they can compete with anyone, regardless of seed.

Their fortunes turned in a disastrous third quarter Wednesday as they fell, 113-105, in their first matchup with Oklahoma City this season.

The Wolves committed 12 of their 24 turnovers in the third and fell behind too much to make up the difference in the fourth up against a brilliant night from MVP candidate Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who had 40 points. Anthony Edwards had 20 for the Wolves while Naz Reid added 19 off the bench. Reid closed the game in place of Julius Randle.

The Wolves recovered from their awful third, in which the Thunder outscored them by 20, to get as close as 106-103 in the fourth before a Gilegious-Alexander 3 preceded a pair of Wolves turnovers to end the night.

Defensive first half

The Wolves’ struggling starting lineup didn’t get off to as slow of a start as it has in recent games, and the Wolves were ahead by two before coach Chris Finch went into his bench. With two of the top defenses in the league on the floor Tuesday, the game figured to be a rock fight, and the Wolves led 24-21 after one.

In the second quarter, the Wolves got into their bench unit with Julius Randle playing the role of facilitator, and the Wolves took a 35-28 lead while that lineup was on the floor. As the starters mixed in, the Wolves extended that to 42-30 after an Edwards stepback 3. That was three of 15 first-half points Edwards had, and the figure included three 3s.

The Thunder began the game 1 for 15 from 3-point range. But the Wolves weren’t much better at 4 for 17. Their defense propelled them into a 52-46 lead at halftime. Even though the Wolves held the Thunder to 40% shooting at the half, the Thunder stayed in it thanks to 11 second-chance points.

Wheels come off in the third

The Wolves crumbled in the third after taking a double-digit lead.

First, Mike Conley got the Wolves going after Cason Wallace picked his pocket on one possession. Conley followed that by hitting 3s on three straight possessions. That included a bank shot on the third, and the Wolves led 65-53. But Oklahoma City responded with a flurry of its own, a 13-0 run to take its first lead since 4-2.

But after a Alexander-Walker 3, Oklahoma City continued to pour it on with another 9-1 run.

After going cold from 3-point range in the first half, the Thunder were 7 for 11 in the third. The Wolves committed 12 turnovers as the Thunder turned up the pressure on their ball handlers. Gilgeous-Alexander had 34 by the end of the third and the Wolves were down 89-75. They’d chip away at the lead in the fourth.

Player of the game

The Wolves didn’t have a matchup for Gilegous-Alexander, not even his cousin Alexander-Walker, in this one. Once he got going, there was little the Wolves could do to stop him.