Thunderstruck: Is It OKC's Finals to Lose?

Joel Piton
May 27
4 min read

The Oklahoma City Thunder are now up 3-1 against the Minnesota Timberwolves in the Western Conference Finals—just one win away from their first NBA Finals appearance since 2012. They look poised. They look polished. And more than anything, they look like the clear favorites. Behind a near 40-point triple-double explosion from the reigning MVP, OKC continues to overwhelm a Timberwolves squad that, on paper, seemed like a worthy match. But so far, there’s been no answer. With a potentially decisive Game 5 looming, let’s break down how the Thunder have taken control—and what could go down next.

The key to OKC’s success isn’t some hidden formula. The Thunder are simply executing at a high level—on offense, on defense, and under pressure. Their primary scorers are shining when it matters most, while Minnesota continues to falter. In Game 4, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s 40-point near triple-double was backed by a monster 34-point performance from Jalen Williams, giving the Thunder a dynamic one-two punch the Timberwolves couldn’t counter. Down low, Julius Randle had no answer for the 7’1” Chet Holmgren, who dropped 21 points and anchored the paint with his length and shot-altering presence. Their on-ball menaces stepped up—Luguentz Dort and Alex Caruso combined for just 14 points, but their relentless perimeter defense hounded Anthony Edwards into a quiet 16-point night. This isn’t a fluke. It’s the Thunder doing exactly what elite teams do in championship-caliber moments.

Game 4 may have been competitive, but not every contest in this series has followed that script. Just days earlier, OKC was dismantled in a 42-point blowout loss in Game 3, which is a result that’s increasingly looking like an outlier rather than a turning point. That night, Anthony Edwards and Julius Randle combined for 54 points in what was by far their best performance of the series. The problem? They haven’t been able to carry that energy into the next game. Momentum has been fleeting for Minnesota, and nowhere is that more evident than in the play of Mike Conley Jr. The 38-year-old former All-Star has been a non-factor, averaging just 5 points, 2 rebounds, and 2 assists on an abysmal 23% shooting through the first four games. At this point, it’s fair to question whether he should still be starting. If I’m Chris Finch, I’m seriously considering giving Rob Dillingham a shot at the one—because frankly, it can’t get much worse.

In the end, we’re actually grateful we got a nail-biter in Game 4. But let’s be real—only thirteen teams in NBA history have come back from a 3-1 deficit in the Conference Finals, and this Timberwolves squad doesn’t exactly look like the squad to do i. Their uphill battle is steep. They’ll need to fix their offensive issues and rattle off three straight wins against a team that hasn’t lost three in a row all season. Impossible? Maybe not. But Randle’s postseason production has cratered, and the reason is obvious: his shaky handle is being exposed. If he wants to score more than five points a night, he has to do it from around 10 to 15 feet—because Chet Holmgren is erasing everything else. With no reliable point guard on the roster, Randle is being forced into a ball-handling role that doesn’t suit him.

Still, Minnesota's bench has shown up in this series. Naz Reid had been efficient in Games 3 and 4, while Nickeil Alexander-Walker’s 23-point outburst and Donte DiVincenzo’s 20-piece in Game 4 helped keep things close. If the Wolves want to survive, their depth has to continue producing—especially when Edwards runs cold, so the game doesn’t spiral out of reach. And hey, Game 3’s 42-point blowout proved the Thunder can be rattled, particularly at Target Center, where they looked shaky from deep. But as the series shifts back to Oklahoma City for Game 5, it’s hard to shake the feeling that Minnesota missed its shot to even things up. It might be over... but if anyone can shake things up, it’s Anthony Edwards.

Knicks vs. Pacers Preview - Can NY Take the Next 2?

Over in the East, New York hopes to even up their series against the Pacers tonight—and they can thank Towns and Brunson for still being in the fight. Without Karl-Anthony Towns consistent offensive production, the Knicks might’ve booked their trip to Cancun weeks ago. With Jalen Brunson dominating the ball and running most of the offense, Towns has taken on the role of primary scorer rather than facilitator—and he’s delivered. Brunson has been electric himself, putting up a combined 80 points across Games 1 and 2 and currently averaging 34.0 points, 5.7 assists, and 2.0 rebounds in the series. OG Anunoby has also been stellar on both ends, and Mikal Bridges’ 17 points per game make him a dangerous two-way threat on the wing. So why isn’t New York winning?

Because the Pacers are just that good. Pascal Siakam has scored in double figures for 23 straight games, and Tyrese Haliburton has been the engine of Indiana’s offense, averaging 18.5 points, 9.4 assists, 5.5 rebounds, and a steal through 13 playoff starts. While no single stat jumps off the box score, the Pacers thrive on team basketball—solid, cohesive, and unselfish—whereas the Knicks lean heavily on their stars to carry the load. If New York can find a way to neutralize Siakam and stay efficient on offense themselves, this series has all the potential to go to a game seven.