NBA Notebook: Conference Finals Recap

Here’s our final wrap on the conference finals in the NBA:

WESTERN CONFERENCE: Oklahoma City over Minnesota 4-1

If this series was going to be any different—a big “if”—it would have to have been in Game 4. The Timberwolves were playing at home with a chance to tie the series. They were getting big games from key role players, from Nickell Alexander-Walker to Donte DiVincenzo. But at this crucial tipping point, Minnesota’s stars couldn’t come through. Anthony Edwards shot poorly and struggled with turnovers. Julius Randle made the first basket of the game and then never got a field goal after that. The T-Wolves lost by two and effectively lost the series.

That said, while Game 4 would have made the series competitive, there is still absolutely no doubt who was the better team. Oklahoma City completely dominated all three games on their home floor. They blitzed Minnesota in the third quarter of the first two games and then held the Timberwolves to nine points in the first quarter of Game 5. OKC is getting better as the playoffs go on. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander completely outplayed Edwards the series and averaged 31 points/5 rebounds/9 assists. Jalen Williams knocked down 22 a night, and Chet Holmgren’s athleticism continues to be a factor in the paint.