On the way into NBA-Finale is Oklahoma City Thunder get into stumbling. The team of the German Isaiah Hartenstein and the MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander lost the third duel in the finals of the Western Conference both Minnesota Timberwolves Clearly with 101: 143 and was completely without a chance.
Already after the first quarter “OKC“20 points back, the deficit grew continuously. Anthony Edwards stood out at Minnesota. He also scored 30 points and also collected nine rebounds and six assists. The Thunder, in which Hartenstein came to six points and six rebounds, conceded their highest defeat of the season. Finale against the New York Knicks or the Indiana Pacers to move in.
“Slide in the face”
“It was a slap in the face. If you are struck to the ground, you have to get up again. It’s about the right answer, that’s our next task”said Gilgeous-Alexander, who came up with 14 points for his circumstances. The leader of the Thunder had recently been named the most valuable player in the NBA, in the third game he only hit four of his 13 throws from the field and lost the ball four times.
In the last quarter, Minnesota could even afford to protect his stars. “They were simply physically much stronger, sharper, more precise and more energetic on the offensive”, said OKC coach Mark Daignault: “They were superior to us in all matters.”
| Game | OKC – Timbervolves | series |
|---|---|---|
1 | 114: 88 | 1: 0 |
2 | 118: 103 | 2: 0 |
3 | 101: 143 | 2: 1 |
4 | May 27th |
* Date refers to MESZ, local time is one day earlier
| Game | New York Knicks – Indiana Pacers | series |
|---|---|---|
1 | 135: 138 NV | 0: 1 |
2 | 109: 114 | 0: 2 |
3 | May 26th | |
4 | May 28th |
* Date refers to MESZ, local time is one day earlier