A tragic reversal! Timberwolves 126-128 Thunder, who is the sinner in this game

On May 27, 2025, in the G4 of the NBA Playoffs Western Conference Finals, the Thunder narrowly defeated the Timberwolves 128-126 away, leading 3-1 in the total score. The game started, the two teams fell into a tangle at the beginning, with the scores alternately leading, Alexander scored and assisted shoulder-to-shoulder, Jaylen Williams frequently fired from the outside, and the Timberwolves responded at multiple points, and the two sides scored three-pointers; the two teams continued to attack in the second quarter, and the Thunder blossomed inside and outside occupied the initiative on the field, Edwards encountered strict defense, Walker played efficiently to help the team catch up, and the Thunder led the Timberwolves 65-57 after the halftime battle; after the change of sides, Caruso first The three-pointer widened the gap to double digits, Divincenzo made three-pointers in a row, the Timberwolves responded to the 11-2 attack wave equalized the score in one fell swoop, and the Thunder responded to the 7-0 attack wave stabilized the situation; the two sides continued to fight in the final quarter, and the Timberwolves blossomed inside and outside, but Alexander and Jaylen Williams joined forces to get a strong response. At the critical moment, McDaniels still scored 2 points in three-pointer, and Alexander made 5 of 6 free throws to lead the team to maintain an advantage, and the Thunder narrowly won. The Timberwolves lagged behind 1-3 in total, only one step away from being eliminated, and the playoff prospects are worrying.

What wonderful performances are the stars in today's Thunder vs. Timberwolves? Let's take a look at the game data and you can see it at a glance.

Jaden McDaniels Small Forward: Scored 22 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, 4 steals, 1 block, 2 turnovers, 15-9 shot, 6-3 three-pointers, 1-1 free throws, 1-1

His performance today can be said to be one of the few highlights of the Timberwolves. McDaniels showed extremely high efficiency on the offensive end, with 60% shooting percentage and 50% three-point shooting percentage, which forced the Thunder defense to give him extra attention. Especially at the critical moment in the fourth quarter, his three-pointer narrowed the score to only 2 points, which once gave the Timberwolves hope to equalize the score.

Defensive end, McDaniels' four steals showed his excellent defensive sense of smell and hand activity. He can not only interfere with the opponent's passing route, but also complete the steal conversion attack at critical moments. His defensive enthusiasm sets an example for the team, especially when facing the Thunder's strong outside attack, his defensive pressure can be imagined.

Julius Randle Power Forward: Scored 5 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal and 5 turnovers, 7-1 shot, 3-0 three-pointers, 4-3 free throws, 4-3

His performance today can be said to be disappointing. As an important member of the Timberwolves' inside line, Randall was completely unable to find his form on the offensive end. He only made 1 goal in seven shots, and tried to hit all the irons after three-point line. Such shooting efficiency is really unacceptable for a power forward. Especially when the team needs inside scores to relieve the pressure on the outside, his sluggish performance undoubtedly caused considerable trouble to the team.

On the defensive end, although Randall had one steal, his overall defensive intensity was insufficient. Faced with the Thunder's flexible internal and external attack, his defensive reaction speed was obviously unable to keep up, especially when he was rotating defense, he often had position errors. As one of the team's inside pillars, Randle's performance today is far from meeting the playoff requirements. He needs to adjust his form in the next game, otherwise the Timberwolves' inside will continue to be the team's weakness.

Rudy Gobert Center: Scored 13 points, 9 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 block and 2 turnovers, shot 8-5, three-pointers, 0-0, and free throws 6-3

His performance today can be said to be average. As the team's defensive core, Gobert's presence at the basket is still obvious, with 9 rebounds and 1 block showing his inside dominance. Especially the seven frontcourt rebounds created valuable second offensive opportunities for the team, which was particularly precious in the tense playoffs.

On the offensive end, Gobert's performance was quite efficient, hitting 5 goals with 8 shots, and the main scoring method was to rely on empty cuts and second attacks. However, 3 of 6 free throws on the free throw line exposed his weakness, which is why the Thunder chose to foul him at critical moments. If he can improve his free throw shooting percentage, his scoring efficiency will be higher.

It is worth mentioning that Gobert performed well in passing today, and his three assists were already quite good for a center, indicating that he has improved in high-level support and inside passes. However, when facing the Thunder's flexible small lineup, Gobert's movement speed disadvantage is also magnified, especially when defending the outside, often unable to keep up with the pace, which is also one of the problems that exist in the Timberwolves' defensive end.

Anthony Edwards point guard: scored 16 points, 4 rebounds, 6 assists and 5 turnovers, 13-5 shots, 7-1 three-pointers, 7-5 free throws, 7-5

His performance today can be said to be regrettable. As the Timberwolves' number one scorer, Edwards encountered the Thunder's tight defense in this game, hitting only 5 goals in 13 shots and 1 of 7 three-pointers, which was far lower than his regular level. Especially the key free throw missed in the last moment directly affects the final result of the game, which is unacceptable for a team core.

Although he has contributed to the offense, 6 assists show his passing awareness after attracting defense, 5 turnovers have exposed his lack of ball handling ability when facing high-intensity defense. The mistakes caused by being forced to pass the ball and forcibly breaking through the multiple times gave the Thunder too many opportunities to switch off the offense. On the defensive end, Edwards' performance was not satisfactory. Facing the Thunder's outside attack, his defensive intensity and concentration were lacking. Especially at the critical moment, it failed to form effective restrictions on Alexander and Jaylen Williams, allowing the opponent to be able to handle the decisive moment.

Mike Conley-Point Guard: Scored 6 points, 2 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 block and 1 turnover, shot 8-2, 3-pointers, 5-2, free throw 0-0

His performance today can be said to be unremarkable. As an experienced point guard, Conley did not have a strong presence in this game, and only made 2 goals in 8 shots. Although he made 2 of 5 three-pointers to maintain a certain efficiency, his overall scoring contribution was limited.

In terms of organizational offense, Conley's three assists were obviously not enough for a starting point guard, which also reflects the Timberwolves lack effective tactical execution on the offensive end. As the team's "General Manager of Floors", Conley should play a more active playmaker role on the court, but today his passes and organization are obviously not in his best form.

It is worthy of recognition that Conley still showed some value on the defensive end, with one block and relatively few turnovers showing his defensive experience and ball handling ability. However, Conley's age disadvantage is also magnified in the face of the Thunder's young and energetic backcourt, especially when defending one-on-one, they are often broken through by their opponents.

Overall, Conley's performance today failed to meet the team's expectations of him, and as a veteran in the playoffs, the team needed him to provide more stability and leadership at critical moments. If the Timberwolves want to turn things around in the series, Conley must regain his pace of play and provide more organization and scoring help for the team.

Alexander Walker - Substitute: Scored 23 points, 4 rebounds, 6 assists, 2 steals and 1 turnover, shot 15-9, three-pointers, 8-5, free throws 0-0

Today, his performance can be said to be the most eye-catching of the Timberwolves team. Walker, who came on as a substitute, showed super offensive firepower, hitting 9 goals in 15 shots, 5 of 8 three-pointers, and his 60% shooting percentage and 62.5% three-point shooting percentage are perfect. Especially in the third quarter, the Timberwolves chased each other in stages, he made consecutive key three-pointers, helping the team tie the score at one point.

In terms of organizational offense, Walker's 6 assists demonstrated his outstanding passing vision and organizational ability. He can not only score by himself, but also create opportunities for his teammates. What is even more commendable is that he only made one mistake, and such ball-handling quality is particularly precious in high-intensity playoffs. On the defensive end, Walker's two steals reflect his defensive enthusiasm and hand activity, especially when facing the Thunder's powerful backcourt, his defensive contribution cannot be ignored. +6's plus or negative value is also the highest in the team, which fully demonstrates his positive impact on the court.

Timberwolves substitute performance

In addition to Walker, other Timberwolves substitute players also performed well. Dante Divincenzo contributed 21 points, 3 rebounds and 5 assists, and 5 of 8 three-pointers, becoming another firepower point on the team's outside line; Naz Reed had a comprehensive performance of 11 points, 6 rebounds and 2 assists, especially showing stability in 4 free throws at the free throw line; Terrence Shannon still contributed 9 points and 2 rebounds, showing good scoring efficiency.

In general, the Timberwolves' substitute players provide a lot of firepower support on the offensive end, but their contributions on the defensive end need to be improved. If better integrity can be formed on the defensive end, perhaps the Timberwolves still have a chance to turn the situation around in the series.