The Minnesota Timberwolves prefer to brag that their group has seven gamers who may begin on NBA groups. In Tuesday’s Sport 1, the Oklahoma City Thunder confirmed they may have 9 or 10 starters, overwhelming the Wolves within the third quarter with large performances from reserves for a 114-88 win.
The Thunder rode a 17-2 third quarter run to a dominant second half the place they scored 70 factors on 62 p.c capturing, turning a sport the place they trailed at halftime into a cushty blowout victory. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the best way with 31 factors and 9 assists, nevertheless it was a full-squad victory for the Thunder.
Jalen Williams scored 19 factors and picked up eight rebounds, ending with 5 assists and 5 steals. Chet Holmgren did his injury inside, scoring 15 factors on 9 photographs with two blocks. Six completely different Thunder gamers had steals, together with all 5 starters, as OKC pressured 19 turnovers, which led 31 factors for the Thunder.
Within the second half, the Thunder obtained enormous contributions for gamers who principally sat of their second-round collection with the Denver Nuggets. Third-string middle Kenrich Williams was +19 in simply 9 minutes, stymying Naz Reid and Julius Randle on protection and making all three of his photographs, two of them from deep. Second-year guard Cason Wallace performed 33 minutes and delivered seven assists. He barely scored, ending with three factors, however his protection and ball distribution helped him to a +21 plus/minus.
The waves of Thunder gamers appear to put on down the Timberwolves. Jaden McDaniels scored the primary 5 factors of the sport, then solely scored two the remainder of the best way, fouling out within the ultimate quarter. Julius Randle had 20 factors at halftime, then solely eight afterward. Anthony Edwards disappeared down the stretch, maybe feeling the results of a first-half ankle damage, going scoreless within the fourth.
Rudy Gobert dedicated two early fouls and was restricted to 21 minutes, the place he was solely in a position to gather three rebounds. Reid, DiVincenzo and Nickeil Alexander-Walker mixed to shoot 5-of-28 on three-pointers. A few of that was unhealthy luck, however a lot of that was the Timberwolves’ reluctance to drive on the Thunder. They shot 51 threes, 61 p.c of their field-goal makes an attempt.
If the Timberwolves need to get again within the collection, their reserves must play like starters. In any other case the deep Thunder will bury them in waves of gifted backups.
