The Thunder takes 2-0 West Finals in mind behind Gilgeous-Alexander’s 38’s 38

Oklahoma City-The butterflies floated in the stomach of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander while his teammates and the fans who wrapped the Paycc Center rugged while he raised the MVP trophy above his head a few minutes before the opening point of match 2 of Thursday.

“I was a little too justified,” said Gilgeous-Alexander about the emotions that were going through him right now.

He settled early enough, coming with a performance that showed why he was worthy of the NBA’s great honor while he was putting the Oklahoma City Thunder to a 118-103 victory on the Minnesota Timberwolves who gave the head of 2-0 in the West Conference.

Gilgeous -Alexander has chosen the defense of Minnesota for 38 points – corresponding to its summit in a career in playoffs – on 12 shots out of 21. He also collected eight passes and contributed to the defensive chaos of Oklahoma City with three interceptions.

“This maintains the team at ease that he is able to return the page as quickly as him,” said Thunder Jalen Williams striker, who had 26 points, 10 rebounds and 5 assists. “It sort of puts us in the same mode.”

Gilgeous-Alexander Gristant that he had been taken in the moment and planned to force the first shots of the game.

“I said to myself: ‘No, this is probably not the way to follow,” said Gilgeous-Alexander, who only tried three shots in the first quarter, doing them all. “I just wanted to let the game come to me. Building on my teammates, playing through them, playing it. I just didn’t want to force the problem. Leave the game to me.”

Gilgeous-Alexander was ready when the opportunity to take over has arrived. He scored eight points in the 3:18 finals of the first half – including a 3 -point Dos stall and a pair of free throws in the last 16 seconds – while the Thunder passed his advance from two to eight.

Then, the fingerprints of Gilgeous-Alexander were everywhere in the domination of Oklahoma City in the third trimester, when the Thunder was ahead of the Timberwolves 35-21 to take command of the game. It collected 11 points and two passes in the quarter, including seven points during the 17-2 race of Thunder.

“I am happy that we have won so that I can really take advantage of the last two days, reduce you,” said Gilgeous-Alexander. “It really helps.”

It was another mid-range masterpiece for Gilgeous-Alexander, the NBA score champion this season. Nine of its 12 buckets were 2 points outside the restricted area.

Williams also found a comfort zone in the mid -range. It was 12 out of 20 from the ground, including 6 out of 9 out of 2 outside the restricted area.

“Shai is one of the best in the world to go to its place and get up,” said Timberwolves Mike Conley leader. “Our big ones must be standing. Our guards must be ready to change things where you remove the environment. It is no longer one of those that we will be satisfied with a series of mid-range shoots. You can not give up that guys. These guys are doing this.”

Gilgeous-Alexander started slowly in the series, pulling 2 out of 13 in the first half of match 1. He has burned the Timberwolves since then, marking 58 points on 20 shots out of 35 in the last six quarters.

“He just has an incredible ability not to be in a groove and to go there almost instantly,” said Thunder coach Mark Daignault. “You never have the impression that the next game will be the continuation of a lack of rhythm or a few miss.

Dave McMenamin d’Espn contributed to this report.