The Oklahoma City Thunder dominated the Minnesota Timberwolves 118-103 in Game 2 of the Western Conference Finals on May 22, 2025, at the Paycom Center, securing a 2-0 series lead behind Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s 38 points (12/21 FG, 13/15 FT) a day after receiving his NBA MVP award. The Thunder led 58-50 at halftime, fueled by Gilgeous-Alexander’s 19 first-half points, and pulled away in the third quarter with a 23-5 run, highlighted by Chet Holmgren’s two-handed fast-break dunk (per Yahoo Sports). OKC’s defense, led by All-Defensive Team members Lu Dort (First Team) and Jalen Williams (Second Team), held Minnesota to 41.4% shooting, continuing their dominance after a 114-88 Game 1 win (per prior recap).
Gilgeous-Alexander, who admitted to feeling “a little too juiced up” after his MVP ceremony, added 8 assists, while Williams contributed 26 points and 10 rebounds, and Holmgren scored 22 points, showcasing the Thunder’s depth as the West’s top seed (per ESPN). Anthony Edwards led Minnesota with 32 points but struggled on 26 shots, an improvement from his 18 points on 5/13 shooting in Game 1, though frustration showed with a late shove on Gilgeous-Alexander (per Yahoo Sports). Jaden McDaniels added 22 points, but the Timberwolves couldn’t overcome OKC’s third-quarter surge, despite cutting the lead to 10 in the fourth, as noted by coach Chris Finch, who criticized their poor half-closing.
The series shifts to Minneapolis for Game 3 on Saturday, where Minnesota, 4-1 at home in the playoffs, aims to regroup at Target Center (per ESPN). The Thunder, fresh off a seven-game battle with Denver (per prior web results), have controlled both games with third-quarter runs, but Finch remains optimistic, emphasizing the chance to “find something” at home. With Gilgeous-Alexander’s MVP form—averaging 34.5 points in the series—and Edwards needing to adjust to OKC’s packed paint defense (per Game 1 recap), this matchup of young stars promises more intensity.
