The Minnesota Timberwolves, after two of the worst losses of the season and in recent memory, take on the kings of the league in the Oklahoma City Thunder, in a Thanksgiving Eve nationally televised matchup.
After the two back-to-back meltdowns against the Phoenix Suns and Sacramento Kings, things don’t get any easier for Anthony Edwards and co. as they will face off against the 17-1 Oklahoma City Thunder. This game is also the final pool play game for the NBA Cup, as both teams are vying for a spot in the NBA In-Season tournament.
The Thunder have not lost a step since June, starting the season off blazing hot en route to one loss in 18 games. This has all come despite Jalen Williams missing the entire season up to this point (which will include tonight’s matchup). OKC has been the most dominant team in the league, with their depth shining through, as well as SGA continuing his MVP form and Chet Holmgren taking a leap from last year. This is the elite of the NBA, and the Wolves will have their hands full in dealing with it all for 48 minutes.
As for the Wolves, this is a prime “measuring stick” opportunity for them that has come at the most turbulent time of this young NBA season. After the last two games where they have collapsed down the stretch and looked atrocious for most of the end of the game, they need to get things in order quickly, otherwise OKC will deftly pull them apart. Sacramento was the worst loss of the pair of opponent considered, but they’ll need to have short memories if they want to hand the Thunder their second loss of the season.
The Timberwolves do have a clean bill of health heading into this one, while OKC has Jalen Williams and Aaron Wiggins out, and Gilgeous-Alexander is a game-time decision. Despite the struggles, a game to watch against a high-leverage opponent to kick off the long holiday weekend is always a treat.
The Wolves dropped this one 113-105 with a valiant effort, especially on the defensive end of the floor. After a great Jaden McDaniels start and an attention to pace on offense, the Wolves got out to a small lead early. OKC quickly erased it, and despite some Timberwolves runs during the second quarter, an SGA flurry had them up 49-39 at halftime. The Wolves did not falter; however, they came out with energy to start the third. As is the case with most championship-caliber teams, they had a response for every punch that was thrown. Minnesota kept battling into the 4th quarter, even taking the lead in a back-and-forth affair late, but the Thunder hit enough backbreakers to put down the Wolves’ effort.
Missed Free Throws
The first point in this one was all the missed free throws that the Timberwolves had. They lost the game by eight points and missed 15 free throws along the way. Now, the game is not as rudimentary as a single statistic such as this, but still, 15 missed free throws is unacceptable. Even while the offense was struggling, the Wolves were doing a good job drawing contact and getting to the line. It felt as though the ability to finish these possessions with points was ultimately the reason they could never get over the hump. The upside in this is that there with an opportunity, but you have to convert.
Defensive Affair
This matchup was filled with lots of high-caliber defense. Rudy Gobert defended the rim expertly in this one, stifling many attempts and forcing tough looks on nearly all the rest. OKC did their thing on that end as well, holding the Wolves to just 39 points at the half. While the lanes opened up and the scoring improved during the last 24 minutes, it was still a chess match that the Thunder ultimately were able to get the upper hand in.
Terrence Shannon Jr. Burst
As always, finish up on a positive note. Terrence Shannon Jr. looked the part of what he was cracked up to be during the preseason. He was making great decisions, getting downhill, and knocking down jumpers when that was the correct read. It seemed like he had his pop and the quick first step that was a mark of nearly all his minutes last season. TSJ started the year slow before missing time with the foot injury, and his ability to come in and give the Timberwolves great minutes and an offensive spark off the bench is exactly what is needed. He finished the game with 18 points on a perfect 7/7 shooting, including three 3s. This is the TSJ that we heard about all offseason, and his return to form would be a big development for a recently inconsistent Wolves bench unit.
Up Next
The Timberwolves will have a short holiday break before a home back-to-back against the Boston Celtics (on NBATV) on Saturday afternoon at 4 PM CST and a date with the Wemby-less Spurs on Sunday evening.
