🏀 Game 1 Recap: Thunder Dominate Timberwolves in Western Conference Finals Opener (114-88)

The 2025 Western Conference Finals tipped off with a bang as the Oklahoma City Thunder hosted the Minnesota Timberwolves on May 20 at the Paycom Center.
Backed by a roaring home crowd, OKC took over in the second half and cruised to a commanding 114-88 victory, taking a 1-0 lead in the series.

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🔥 1st Quarter: Wolves Come Out Hot

Minnesota started off strong, going on an 8-0 run led by Jaden McDaniels and Anthony Edwards.
Julius Randle scored 20 points in the first quarter alone, helping the Timberwolves take a 48-44 lead into halftime.

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⚡️ 2nd Half: SGA Takes Over

After a quiet first half, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander flipped the switch.
He scored 20 points in the second half, igniting a 10-0 run in the third quarter that flipped the momentum completely in OKC’s favor.
Kenrich Williams brought energy off the bench, and the Thunder’s defense clamped down hard.

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🧱 OKC Locks In on Both Ends

The Thunder exploded for 70 second-half points while holding the Timberwolves to just 40.
SGA finished with 31 points and 9 assists. Jalen Williams added 19, and Chet Holmgren contributed 15.
Minnesota committed 17 turnovers, many of which led to fast breaks and easy buckets for the Thunder.

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📉 Edwards Held in Check

After a solid start, Anthony Edwards struggled to find his rhythm in the second half.
In a postgame interview, he mentioned OKC’s tight paint defense and said adjustments are needed for Game 2.

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📅 Game 2 Info

• 🏟 Location: Paycom Center, Oklahoma City

• 🗓 Date: May 22, 2025

• 🕗 Tip-off: TBD

The Timberwolves will look to bounce back and even the series, while the Thunder aim to defend home court and go up 2-0.

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🎥 Watch the Highlights

👉 FULL GAME 1 HIGHLIGHTS | May 20, 2025 - NBA Playoffs

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🔔 Final Thoughts
Oklahoma City showed why they’re a serious contender, dominating with energy, defense, and ball movement.
Minnesota will need to regroup quickly and come back stronger for Game 2 if they hope to stay in the fight.