The Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder blew it on Monday evening.
Anthony Edwards made certain of that.
Edwards, after main the Minnesota Timberwolves again from a 24-point deficit within the fourth quarter to pressure additional time, got here up with probably the greatest blocks of the season to assist seal their 131-128 win on the Paycom Middle in Oklahoma Metropolis.
Edwards, with simply seconds left on the clock within the further interval, met Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander on the rim and stuffed him completely to dam a layup that will’ve put Oklahoma Metropolis within the lead.
“Method to f***ing hoop, y’all,” Edwards mentioned on the courtroom after the sport.
The Timberwolves shouldn’t have even been in that place to win the sport after the primary three quarters. Minnesota stumbled out of the gate within the second half of a back-to-back in opposition to the Thunder, and fell right into a 19-point gap on the break. The Timberwolves put up simply 17 factors as a group within the second quarter and utterly struggled to maintain tempo with the Thunder — who nonetheless maintain one of the best report within the convention (46-11).
However after slowly chipping away on the deficit, Minnesota ended regulation on a protracted 15-0 run that Jaden McDaniels capped with an and-one to tie the sport up and pressure the additional interval. The Thunder went practically 4 full minutes with out scoring to finish the fourth quarter.
Nickeil Alexander-Walker then hit two free throws after Edwards’ block in additional time to seal the three-point win — which gave Minnesota the break up after falling in Minneapolis on Sunday evening.
“We simply stopped taking part in, to be trustworthy, after which they obtained life … I do not know [why], there is not any actual motive to it,” Oklahoma Metropolis’s Jalen Williams mentioned, by way of The Oklahoman’s Joel Lorenzi. “If you need a quite simple reply, I imply, we’re up 25 in a recreation the place we really feel like the sport is kinda over with. And I feel cease taking part in might be not a great way to say it. I feel our depth dropped.”
McDaniels led the best way with 27 factors and 10 rebounds for Minnesota, which now holds a 32-27 report. Naz Reid completed with 22 factors and 11 rebounds, and Edwards completed simply shy of a triple-double with 17 factors, 13 rebounds and eight assists.
Gilgeous-Alexander practically had a triple-double himself for the Thunder. He completed with 39 factors, 10 rebounds and eight assists within the loss, which was simply the group’s eleventh on the season. Williams added 27 factors, and Aaron Wiggins added 19 factors off the bench.
Regardless of their win, Timberwolves coach Chris Finch was nonetheless extremely upset with the Thunder, their fashion of basketball and the officiating that it results in.
“It is so irritating to play this group as a result of they foul a ton, you already know? They actually do, they foul, they foul on a regular basis,” Finch mentioned. “After which you possibly can’t actually contact Shai. It is a very irritating factor and it takes a number of psychological toughness to attempt to play via it. We simply ultimately have been in a position to get downhill and pressure the difficulty ourselves [tonight] and have been rewarded for it.”
There is no such thing as a doubt that the Thunder have already confirmed themselves as probably the greatest groups within the league, particularly when Gilgeous-Alexander is taking part in at his MVP-caliber stage. However Monday evening’s late collapse was brutal. Clearly, regardless of their large lead within the convention standings, the Timberwolves and loads of others within the west can nonetheless maintain their very own with Gilgeous-Alexander and the Thunder night-in and night-out.
