OKLAHOMA CITY – Shai Gilgeous-Alexander admits it’s hard not to think ahead, but the Oklahoma City Thunder star says the lessons learned from Game 3 will help the team stay focused as they aim to close out the Minnesota Timberwolves in Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals on May 28 (May 29, Singapore time).
“It’s tough,” Gilgeous-Alexander said when asked about avoiding thoughts of what lies ahead.
“I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t. You know how close you are, but at the same time, it’s still far away. Beating a team like this takes a lot of effort, playing the right way for a lot of minutes.”
With a 3-1 series lead, the Thunder are now just one win away from reaching their first NBA Finals since 2012.
Head coach Mark Daigneault said he trusts his team’s ability to remain focused.
“It’s hard to stay present,” he admitted. “It’s easy to think about the past or look ahead to the future, but we’ve made a strong effort to stay grounded and take on the next challenge—one game at a time.”
After suffering a 42-point blowout loss in Game 3, Oklahoma City bounced back in Game 4 with a narrow 128-126 victory in Minneapolis, putting Minnesota on the edge of elimination.
To keep their season alive, the Timberwolves will need stronger performances from Anthony Edwards and Julius Randle, who combined for only 21 points on 6-for-20 shooting in Game 4. That was a steep drop from their 54-point combined effort in Game 3.
“We’ve seen this before and worked through it,” said Timberwolves coach Chris Finch.
“We know we need better spacing, faster transition offense, and to get those guys attacking early. It’s a straightforward adjustment—it just takes commitment.”
“We’ve got to get more production from our starters,” he added.
Meanwhile, in the Eastern Conference Finals on May 27, Tyrese Haliburton posted his second career playoff triple-double to lead Indiana to a 130-121 win over the New York Knicks. His historic stat line—32 points, 15 assists, and a career-best 12 rebounds with zero turnovers—made him the first player in NBA playoff history to record 30+ points, 15+ assists, and 10+ rebounds without a single turnover.
With the win, Indiana now holds a 3-1 lead and is just one victory away from reaching the NBA Finals.
