OKLAHOMA CITY — ESPN NBA insider Brian Windhorst publicly stated in February what was being privately said around the league up to that point.
Teams weren’t scared of the Thunder.
Never mind Oklahoma City’s incredible record, dominant defense and MVP guard in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Other teams were confident that, when the time came, they could go toe to toe with the West’s best.
Minnesota was included in that camp.
It now knows otherwise.
If the Timberwolves weren’t scared of Oklahoma City at the outset of the Western Conference finals, they sure looked frightened Wednesday evening, falling 124-94 in Game 5 to end their season via a 4-1 series defeat.
Oklahoma City is back in the NBA Finals for the first time since 2012. The Thunder will meet the Indiana Pacers or New York Knicks in the title round starting June 5 in Oklahoma.
Minnesota was about as ill-composed as a basketball team could be en route to getting run off the floor in the fifth game of the NBA semifinals for the second consecutive season.
This was somehow more embarrassing for Minnesota than last year’s debacle against Dallas. The Mavericks put the Wolves down early in that affair thanks to some incredible shot making from Luka Doncic.
This was different. On this night, the Timberwolves were physically punked from the opening tip. Minnesota looked like a team that had forgotten how to shoot, dribble or pass.
Open shots were missed early, then they stopped being generated altogether. Timberwolves coach Chris Finch cited the importance of a strong start prior to the game. Minnesota was trailing 11-3 before you could blink.
It only got worse from there.
Minnesota’s execution fell off a cliff. The Wolves looked frazzled, unable to complete simple passes or layups. They were entirely swallowed up by the Thunder’s historically tenacious defense and Oklahoma City’s raucous home crowd.
“That obviously got the crowd into it, got them going, and then we struggled to find a rhythm,” Finch said. “We lost our connectivity.”
The moment felt too bad. It has at this facility all series. Not only did Minnesota lose thrice in Oklahoma City in this series, it was embarrassed on each occasion.
A mistake-prone team was forced into far too many of them by a harassing defense known for doing just that. Naz Reid and Julius Randle struggled to hold onto the ball for much of Wednesday’s contest.
The Wolves had nine points at the end of the opening frame. They trailed by 33 at the half. Minnesota had more turnovers (14) than made shots (12) through two quarters.
No one other than Anthony Edwards could put any real pressure on the Thunder defense. Minnesota was one of the final four teams playing for the second consecutive season, so it’s not as though it’s flush with flaws. But those that exist were all exacerbated by Oklahoma City — again, and again and again.
So yeah, Minnesota should be afraid of the Thunder. Very, very afraid. As should everyone else in the Association.
“They certainly deserved this. They played outstanding. We came up short in a lot of ways,” Finch said. “Obviously, an outstanding team, well built super deep. They’ve got an identity and a style of play that suits them. … It looks very, very promising.”
Not only is Oklahoma City wildly talented and tenacious, it’s also young. As in, younger than the Wolves and possessing the assets to continue to replenish its talent pool.
It has the MVP in Gilgeous-Alexander, who lit Minnesota up all series, rendering the Wolves’ trough of perimeter defenders obsolete. A year ago, the Wolves possessed the best defense in the NBA that struck fear and frustration into the hearts and minds of opponents.
It didn’t look as enjoyable being on the other side of the coin.
No longer is Minnesota the big, bad wolves. That title belongs to the Thunder. It looks as though it will for years to come.
The Timberwolves, who’ve fancied themselves a title contender for two years now, have an offseason to determine what it is they plan to do about it.
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