Thunder Outlast Timberwolves in a Wild NBA Cup Battle
So let me walk you through what turned into a dramatic and entertaining showdown between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Minnesota Timberwolves—a game that mixed elite shot-making, clutch moments, and even a bit of controversy.
The headline of the night was Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who stepped onto the floor despite being listed as questionable with an illness. Not only did he play, but he completely took over, dropping 40 points while adding rebounds, assists, and steals. His performance helped Oklahoma City secure a 113–105 win and extend their winning streak to 10 games. With this victory, the Thunder also became just the fifth team in NBA history to start a season 18–1 or better. It was the kind of night where everything felt like it was stacking toward another statement from the reigning MVP.
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Minnesota didn’t make it easy, though. Anthony Edwards showed up ready, pouring in 31 points and keeping the Timberwolves locked in all the way into the final minute. At one point, Edwards knocked down a huge three that pulled Minnesota within a single point with just a minute remaining. But that’s when the Thunder slammed the door shut. Chet Holmgren calmly buried a three of his own, and Gilgeous-Alexander hit late free throws to seal the victory. It was classic late-game execution—steady, patient, and poised.
But the game wasn’t without its drama. Early in the second quarter, Rudy Gobert was hit with a technical foul for what was ruled a flailing arm that caught Isaiah Hartenstein on the nose. The issue? Replays appeared to show only minimal contact, if any. Hartenstein went down dramatically, which had commentators openly wondering if it was a flop. Even Minnesota’s broadcast team questioned the call. The play triggered an automatic review, and while the hostile act ruling was dismissed, the technical foul surprisingly stayed in place. It led to a long stoppage—nearly seven minutes in total—and added fuel to an already tense matchup.
Despite the chaos, Oklahoma City carried a 49–39 lead into halftime and remained in control for most of the night. The Timberwolves, meanwhile, saw their NBA Cup hopes officially fade with the loss, while the Thunder improved to 3–0 in West Group A and remain unbeaten at home.
In the end, it was a night defined by superstar performances, clutch moments, and officiating debates—all wrapped into a mid-season tournament game that felt like it actually mattered. And for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the timing couldn’t have been better. As he put it afterward, he just needed to get through the game so he could refuel on Thanksgiving. All things considered, he earned that plate.
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