The result was not quite as high as at the start, but the Oklahoma City Thunder also won the second game in the conference finals of the NBA against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
The team around the German basketball professional Isaiah Hartenstein and the freshly selected MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander won 118: 103 on Friday night and now leads 2-0 in the best-of-Seven series.
In the first game, Gilgeous-Alexander posted 38 points, eight templates and three rebounds after his election as the most valuable player in the main round. Hartenstein got six points, eight rebounds and two templates.
At the end of a still balanced first half, the hosts pulled away and in the second half only had fewer than five points ahead in the third quarter. In the meantime, the team was even at the front with 24 points, the Timberwolves around Anthony Edwards and Julius Randle looked disillusioned.
| Game | OKC – Timbervolves | series |
|---|---|---|
1 | 114: 88 | 1: 0 |
2 | 118: 103 | 2: 0 |
3 | May 25th* | |
4 | May 27th |
* Date refers to MESZ, local time is one day earlier
“We play hard in the defense, it starts,” said OKC professional Jalen Williams after 26 points, ten rebounds and five templates. “If we stop them, we can counter and play our strengths,” said Gilgeous-Alexander.
OKC benefits from deeper squad
While only eight of the 15 players were used in the squad among the guests, OKC once again distributed the tasks to the lower squad and brought in ten players. The two upcoming games are now in Minneapolis – there Oklahoma City can already make it perfect.
| Game | New York Knicks – Indiana Pacers | series |
|---|---|---|
1 | 135: 138 NV | 0: 1 |
2 | May 24th* | |
3 | May 26th | |
4 | May 28th |
* Date refers to MESZ, local time is one day earlier