Another step until the title: Oklahoma City Thunder has reached the final series for the first time since 2012 in the NBA playoffs.
The team around the German-American basketball professional Isaiah Hartenstein clearly beat Minnesota Timberwolves in the fifth game with 124: 94 and thus won the best-of-Seven series 4: 1. “These guys do everything right. They are professionals with a great character“, said Okc coach Mark Daignult and then added jokingly when his players teased him at the interview and put numerous towels around his shoulder: “And they are idiots.”
Center Hartenstein, who can win the NBA title as the second German after Dirk Nowitzki (2011), was allowed to go from the start – at the end of a good game, he came to eight points and five rebounds in 17 minutes. As so often, Oklahoma was led by MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
Gilgeous-Alexander again extremely strong
The most valuable player in the main round put on strong 34 points and ensured the safe victory against overwhelmed Timberwolves seen over the series. “This is a step in the right direction, but we still have a lot of work ahead of us, we know and we concentrate on it, so we strap up and get ready”said Gilgeous-Alexander, who was not surprisingly elected to the MVP of the semi-final series: “We are not yet at the goal.”
The Oklahoma City Thunder left no doubt about the return to the finals 13 years after the last participation. The 0: 3 at the start of the encounter was the only deficit, after the first quarter the hosts led with 26: 9.
Timberwolves helpless
The lead over the offensive helpless Timberwolves grew up to 39 points in the course of the game. Minutes before the end of the encounter, the fans in Oklahoma City started to say goodbye to the guests with sneering chants from the playoffs.
In 2012 OkC had last stood in the final, at that time the team led by superstar Kevin Durant against Lebron James and Miami Heat lost. This time a duel is expected to be waiting with the Indiana Pacers, who lead 3-1 against the New York Knicks in the parallel series and can already follow on Friday night. OKC, which had the best record of all teams in the main round with 68 victories in 14 defeats, goes into the series in any case.
| Game | OKC – Timbervolves | series |
|---|---|---|
1 | 114: 88 | 1: 0 |
2 | 118: 103 | 2: 0 |
3 | 101: 143 | 2: 1 |
4 | 128: 126 | 3: 1 |
5 | 124: 94 | 4: 1 |
* 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 | 106: 100 | 1: 2 |
4 | 121: 130 | 1: 3 |
5 | May 30th* |
* Date refers to MESZ, local time is one day earlier