Timberwolves against Thunder: OKC’s secret sauce in the rout of match 1? Force Minnesota in a trap of its own manufacture

Oklahoma City – It is almost cruel to see how the Oklahoma City Thunder Lull makes teams of false confidence before recalibrating the game, turning it on its head and carrying a blow after the blow.

Thunder, as early as they are, seduce you to believe that the game is played under your conditions. And before you know, you are a frustration ball – realizing that the summer holidays approach each loss.

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This seduction was obvious Tuesday in the first match of the Western Conference final because it seemed that the Minnesota Timberwolves had a good idea of ​​their opponent, even if the two had not seen themselves since February.

It was as if the Thunder was going to find it difficult to obtain a secondary score outside Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, that he would have trouble defending the aggressive perimeter of Minnesota, and finally, they would not have an answer for Julius Randle, heated to red.

All these things remained true for half before the creation of reality and reinforced in the resounding victory of the Thunder 114-88 at the Paycc Center. Their second half was a masterful and perfect execution when they were riding the 70-40 Timberwolves.

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The Timberwolves were on alert on their reversals and how thunder prosperous in the open ground – it has been practically drilled in their head in recent days in preparation for this series.

The subject of Gilgeous-Alexander arrives at the line, by coming into contact and sometimes being difficult with what the managers also see in mind for the Timberwolves.

And yet, they fell into all of this because that’s what thunder makes you do. This is how the Thunder won 68 victories without Superteam, and with no doubt his second best player missing a considerable time with an injury when Chet Holmgren fell with a hip injury at the start of the season.

Thus, when the Timberwolves led by four at halftime, largely at the back of the Randle which goes nuclear from the 3-point fork (5 out of 6 as part of 20 points in total), it was easy to assume that the Thunder was always carrying the perfume of Denver Nuggets, and that would cost them a cost in the opening of the series.

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Gilegous-Alexander had 2 for 13 in the first half, the perfect opening for Minnesota to steal match 1.

Spoiler alert: this is not the case.

“I thought it was a great mental tenacity,” said Thunder’s coach Mark Daignault. “Playing so badly offensive and not being eliminated was huge. We have lost the tour but we were not eliminated. We were passionate about an opponent who plays very differently at the two ends of the soil to an opponent who is much more free in attack and much more physical and the pressure on defense.”

Maybe they were really staggered or maybe they played a dope cord to suffocate the Timberwolves offensive in the second half. If the Timberwolves did not turn the ball back or were not sliding on the weak side each time they turned their heads, they threw too many passes to 3 points of passes and long flying arms on their faces.

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More than 60% of Timberwolves shooting attempts came from 3, or 51 raises that led to their disappearance. This slight advance was quickly overturned for two minutes in the second half, when the Timberwolves found themselves abandoning the equivalent of the pick -six – reversals immediately leading to scores at the other end – and their first defenders encountered big problems.

The Timberwolves were almost frightened, tightened and looking for defenders who were not there. The launch of many of 3, in a sense, gives you at least a chance to become hot even if the chances are small.

However, dribble the ball in all these long arms and members? He has the impression that something negative is inevitable, and it seemed to play in their minds.

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“I had no idea what they thought,” said Gilgeous-Alexander. “We are just trying to play our identity. We try to play on our defensive plan and that gave us life at the start of the game. ”

Randle kept its reversals in its tour de force against the Golden State Warriors, but he had five while Anthony Edwards had four. Everyone only took 13 shots, and the Timberwolves pulled a horrible 34.9% in the field and 29.4% out of three.

Timberwolves Naz Reid and Nickeil Alexander-Walker submarines fired 44 and 46% compared to the 3-point line, respectively, in the Warriors series. They, combined with Donte Divincenzo, drew 5 for 28 (17.8%) from the deepest match 1.

“Our defense was a huge catalyst. The turnover is never … This is not what we are talking about,” said Daignault. “We talked about being aggressive in our help. It tends to produce reversals when we really have that, but it also gives difficult shots, and that’s what we are trying to do.”

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Edwards did not put his stamp on the game as it was supposed to adapt, perhaps by adapting to the ordeal of defenders who in turn take their drugs while trying to give a little Edwards.

Gilgeous-Alexander should be announced as the most useful player in the league very early, and he sent each Timberwolves defender heading to the bench in addition to problems and frustration. Jaden McDaniels, his main defender, resumed his fourth fault in the third, and the match turned when he left, then he committed a fault in 23 minutes.

Edwards attracted a technical fault for having launched the ball at Gilgeous-Alexander while the Thunder star was on the ground at the start of the first half, knowing that his attempts to launch frank kept thunder when their attack had not started.

Even the only victory of Minnesota had proved to be in the other direction. Alexander-Walker was called to a fault on his cousin when Gilgeous-Alexander hit the ground in the third quarter.

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Alexander-Walker was furious, calling for a bench examination. The officials determined that there was no contact on Gilgeous-Alexander, but Oklahoma City kept possession due to Gilgeous-Alexander having the ball while going to the ground.

What followed was Kenrich Williams hitting a rider with the shooting stopwatch, thus canceling the whole business.

Gilgeous-Alexander did not have a legendary night, pulling only 10 for 27, but he continued to attack and continued to shoot faults on the path of 31 points, nine assists and 14 attempts to launch free.

The Thunder was able to tidy up the Timberwolves with his best player with a “C” evening, but he and Jalen Williams made critical games in the third to help the Thunder move away while Holmgren was literally everywhere in defense.

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“In the end, it’s basketball,” said Gilgeous-Alexander. “They throw a problem for you and you solve it.”

The Thunder launched the Timberwolves in return, and the Minnesota will have two days to concoct an answer.