The Oklahoma City Thunder are just one win away from the 2025 NBA Finals following a thrilling 128-126 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Monday night (May 26). OKC now has a commanding 3-1 lead in the Western Conference finals. 

In the hotly contested battle, the Thunder maintained the pressure on the Timberwolves, leading for the majority of the game. Except for the first quarter, the Thunder held the advantage over the Timberwolves.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander put on an MVP performance, posting 40 points, 10 assists, and nine rebounds, almost posting his first triple-double in the playoffs. Jalen Williams scored 34 points, knocking down 6 three-pointers, and Chet Holmgren added 21 points and was a defensive force with three blocks.

Gilgeous-Alexander shared how he approached the game after a 40-point loss to the Timberwolves on Saturday, May 24.

“I tried not to worry too much about scoring or making plays or whatever it was,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “I tried to just lose myself in the competition, be aggressive, pick my spots.”

For the Timberwolves, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, the first cousin of SGA, scored 23 points, and Donte DiVincenzo added 21 points, both shooting 5 of 8 from 3-pointers. Anthony Edwards scored 16 points and only took two shots in the first half as he faced an amped up Thunder defense for the entire game. Julius Randle scored only five points, which is the second-lowest scoring game of his playoff career, in Game 2 of this series, where he scored six points. Edwards and Randle combined for more than 10 turnovers while making only 6 field goals.

 Following the game, Edwards spoke to reporters about his performance.

"Seemed like they went back to how they were playing in Game 1 and Game 2, just in the gaps super, super heavy," Edwards said. "No matter what. My guys were making shots, they still were in the gaps." 

"Definitely not the points I wanted to get, but they didn't really let me get too many shots off," Edwards continued. "They did a good job of that. Every time I had the ball they showed me a major crowd. Just making the right play, getting off of it, and my guys hit shots tonight."

Now facing a 3-1 deficit, the odds are almost insurmountable for the Timberwolves. Only 13 teams out of 288 instances have come back from a 3-1 series deficit to win the series.

Game 5 is scheduled for Wednesday, May 28, at the Paycom Center in Oklahoma City.