Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 38 points and Jalen Williams added 26 to lead the Oklahoma City Thunder to a 118-103 home win over the Minnesota Timberwolves in Game 2 of the Western Conference finals.
The Thunder lead the best-of-seven series 2-0 going into Game 3 on Saturday in Minneapolis.
Gilgeous-Alexander, who was selected the NBA Most Valuable Player on Wednesday and presented with the trophy before Thursday’s game, has scored 30 or more points in five consecutive games.
The 38 points tied a career playoff-high, and he added eight assists and three steals with just one turnover.
Chet Holmgren contributed 22 points in the win.
Minnesota’s Anthony Edwards finished with 32 points, shooting 12 of 26 from the floor but just one of nine on three-point attempts. He also contributed nine rebounds and six assists.
Julius Randle, who helped Minnesota build a first-half lead in Game 1 with a string of three-pointers, wound up with just six points in Game 2. He made just two of 11 shots from the floor – missing all three of his three-point tries – and did not play in the fourth quarter.
The Timberwolves got 17 points from Nickeil Alexander-Walker, plus 10 points and eight rebounds from Naz Reid.
Oklahoma City led by as many as 24 points late in the third quarter, but the Timberwolves clawed within 10 with just more than three minutes remaining.
However, that was as close as Minnesota would get late, as the Thunder repeatedly answered in the closing minutes.
Oklahoma City grabbed control in the third, turning up the pressure on defence once again.
Minnesota didn’t make a field goal for six minutes late in the quarter, missing seven consecutive shots and committing five turnovers as the Thunder stretched their lead to 24 late in the period.
After struggling from the field early in Game 1, Gilgeous-Alexander was much more efficient from the jump in Game 2, not missing a shot until just more than five minutes remained in the first half.
Edwards said he needed to shoot more in Game 2 after attempting just 13 shots on Tuesday in a 114-88 loss. He was aggressive offensively from the start on Thursday, attempting 10 shots in the first quarter (and making four) while adding three assists.
The Timberwolves were within three with just more than two minutes to go in the half before Oklahoma City closed strong.
Gilgeous-Alexander scored all of the Thunder’s points during a 7-2 run to take an eight-point lead into halftime. His spree included drawing a foul on Jaden McDaniels in the closing seconds and sinking a pair of free throws.
The Thunder led 58-50 at the break despite shooting just four of 20 from beyond the arc in the first half.
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