The Western conference final’s early game was much higher than the superstar on Oklahoma City Thunder and Minnesota Timbervols roster.
Thunder played a lockdown defense in the second half and converted a lot of turnover into points at the other end. And Timberwells continued to struggle with the periphery and Julius Randals could not go to the second half after the first half of a monster.
But Shai Gilgius-Alexander of Oklahoma City and Anthony Edwards of Minnesota are still in the series front and center and will set a long way towards determining how the series will go from here.
Thunder and Timbervols squeeted 1-0 with Thunder in Game 2 of the best-seven series in Oklahoma City on Thursday.
Gilges -Alexander, who was named the most valuable player of NBA for the first time on Wednesday night, scored 31 points in the second half of Oklahoma City’s 114–88 victory.
Gilgeous-Aexander is the third Thunder MVP winner. The other are Kevin Durant (2013–14 season) and Russell Westbrook (2016-17).
Thunder coach Mark Diganult used 10-Man rotation in Game 1, which was expanded with rotation used in the second round series against Denver.
“Most of our team’s people can do more including poetry. He can do more as he does,” Daigneault said. “He plays in a way that allows other people to breathe, and allow other people to go. … There is no one in the team that is not parking some part of his roof, as individual players in a vacuum, for the good of the team.”
After playing 20 joint minutes in two matches in the series against Danver – all late Blowout Oklahoma City Jeet – Cenrichric Williams played 10 minutes in Tuesday’s series opener.
Williams made some major buckets and made a couple major defensive plays.
“Incredible stability, professionalism, mental cruelty, all that stuff,” said Daigneault. “I really believe that it breathes life in the team.
“He simply keeps his head down and keeps himself ready and delivers in such a way that a big energy increased for us.”
Edwards scored 18 points in the series opener, who were leaving only 5 -13 from the field.
In 38 Career Playoff Games, Edwards has attempted less shots.
“I certainly got to shoot more,” said Edwards. “… Just got the ball a little more, play without the ball. I think it will be the answer. Because playing on the ball, they are just going to double and will sit in the interval all day. … We will find out it.”
Timberwells lost his first game in the Golden State in the second round before bouncing back to win four consecutive games to close the series.
Minnesota coach Chris Finch said, “We definitely need to find a rhythm in this series.” “Every series is slightly different as to how people protect you and WhatsApp. I felt that we have come out and tried to play in the same way as we had always done, and it was not going to work. … We got to find a different rhythm to play.”
-Bield level media
