Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored a career playoff high 40 points and scored the Oklahoma City Thunder 3-1 with the Minnesota Timber Wolves in the series.
Shy Gilgauss Alexander scored 40 points, grabbed nine rebounds and earned 10 assists as he escaped in Game 4 of the Western Conference Finals in Minneapolis with a 128-126 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Jalen Williams added 34 points in Oklahoma City’s 24-13 shooting to grab a 3-1 lead in the top 7 series. Chet Holmgren finished with 21 points in a 14-9 shooting.
Gilegeous-Alexander sank six free throw attempts in the final 15 seconds, sealing the victory on Monday night.
Nickeil Alexander-Walker scored 23 points off the bench to lead Minnesota. Jaden McDaniels scored 22 points and Donte Divincenzo finished with 21 points off the bench.
The series returns to Oklahoma City for Game 5 on Wednesday night, with the Thunder closing the series and having the opportunity to make progress towards the NBA Finals.
Both teams fought in the final minutes as the Thunder stopped attempting a Timberwolves’ comeback.
Gilgauss Alexander showed his athletic ability as Williams found a 3-pointer with a 3:34 left to make it 116-109. The 1.98m (6ft 6inch) guard had fallen into the play, so he slid a pass between McDaniels’ legs and slid towards Open Williams.
The lead went back to seven when Williams hit another three pointer and placed Lightning in the top 123-116 at 1:21.
Timberwolves is back thanks to McDaniels. McDaniels made a driving layup with 1:10 left and followed a 3-pointer with 23.1 seconds left. The latter hoop sliced Thunder’s lead 123-121.
Both teams traded free throws in the final seconds.
The Thunder led 128-125 when Anthony Edwards stepped into the free throw line with 3.5 seconds left. Edwards made his first attempt, deliberately missing the second attempt, but Gilgauss Alexander chased the rebound and fired a long pass to stop the clock in 0.3 seconds.
Williams intercepted the pass as time passed by Julius Randle’s inbound.
Oklahoma City led 90-85 at the end of the third quarter.
The Timberwolves ran 8-0 and reduced their deficit to 77-76 with five minutes left in the third. Divincenzo split the run by filling in three pointers from the left corner.
The Thunder responded with next possession when Gilgauss Alexander knocked down a jump shot to get the team a 79-76 lead, leaving 4:41 in the quarter.
Minnesota chased 65-57 in the half. Edwards only had four points before the break, so he finished the game with 16 points with a 13-5 shooting. He only made 7-for-7 attempts from the 3-point range.
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