Oklahoma City — At the start of this season, Timberwolves coach Chris Finch asked his team whether it was a Western Conference Finals team a year ago, or if it was simply a team that reached the Western Conference Finals.
A similarly pertinent question could be asked of Minnesota through two games of this year’s conference title round: Are the Timberwolves a title contender, or merely one of the last four teams still playing?
Right now, Minnesota looks a lot like the latter.
The Wolves were thoroughly out-played again Thursday in Game 2, getting their doors blown off in the third quarter en route to a 118-103 loss in Oklahoma City. Minnesota now trails the best of 7 series 2-0, with Game 3 at Target Center on Saturday at 7:30 p.m.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander received the MVP trophy on the floor ahead of the game, and proceeded to show everyone why he received the honor in the 48 minutes that followed. The superstar guard scored 38 points to go with eight assists. His wingman, Jalen Williams, tacked on 26 points.
Still, Minnesota was down just three late in the first half thanks to some hot 3-point shooting out of the gates. But that’s where the wheels began to fall off.
Oklahoma City closed the frame on a 5-0 run to take an eight-point advantage into the break. Then the floodgates opened in the third. The Thunder scored 35 points in the third quarter, including a 25-6 run that put the game out of question.
Minnesota was down 22 at the end of the frame.
The Timberwolves played two quarters of good offense, but at this point, it looks as though perfection may be required to contend in this series with the 68-win Thunder.
They’ll have another chance Saturday to produce just that, or at least something close to it, in what now looks like a must-win game back in Minneapolis.
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