Timberwolves-Thunder Game 5: 5 Takeaways as Oklahoma City Clinches Spot in NBA Finals
The Oklahoma City Thunder completed their Western Conference Finals masterpiece on Wednesday night, crushing the Minnesota Timberwolves 124-94 to punch their ticket to the NBA Finals for the first time since 2012. With a 4-1 series win, the top-seeded Thunder continue a dominant postseason run powered by youth, defense, and their MVP leader, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
Here are five takeaways from OKC’s emphatic Game 5 win and their march to the Finals:
1. OKC’s New Big Three Is Ready for the Moment
Much like their 2012 Finals core of Durant, Westbrook, and Harden, Oklahoma City’s current trio—Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams, and Chet Holmgren—is young, confident, and ridiculously talented. But there’s one major difference: they’re ahead of schedule and playing like seasoned contenders.
Gilgeous-Alexander led the charge once again and took home Western Conference Finals MVP honors. Williams provided consistent scoring and smart playmaking, while Holmgren anchored the defense and stretched the floor offensively. Their chemistry is undeniable—and their ceiling still rising.
2. Shai’s Historic Season Continues
It’s hard to imagine a more complete campaign than the one Gilgeous-Alexander is putting together. All-NBA First Team, league MVP, and now a Finals appearance with two elimination-game masterclasses under his belt. His 34 points in Game 5 were decisive and efficient, setting the tone from the opening tip.
He’s the first MVP to reach the Finals since Steph Curry in 2016. If SGA finishes the job with a championship and a Finals MVP, this could go down as one of the all-time great seasons for a lead guard.
3. Anthony Edwards Faces Another Learning Curve
Anthony Edwards may not have gotten over the hump this year, but his talent and trajectory remain sky-high. He’s 23 and already with two Western Conference Finals appearances—something most stars never reach.
Still, this series exposed the gaps in his game and consistency. He was outplayed by Gilgeous-Alexander and at times neutralized by OKC’s relentless defense. If this defeat fuels his hunger the way it should, Edwards will be back. The question is whether the Wolves can build the right team around him.
4. Minnesota’s Offseason Questions Start Now
With Julius Randle (player option), Naz Reid, and Nickeil Alexander-Walker all up for new contracts, the Wolves face major decisions. Keeping all three could push them deep into luxury tax territory—a financial scenario that new ownership may hesitate to embrace.
Randle in particular is the wildcard. Effective in stretches but a poor fit as a lead playmaker under pressure, his performance may prompt the team to rethink his role—or his future in Minnesota.
5. OKC’s Defense Is Championship-Ready
Forget the offensive firepower—OKC’s defense has been their calling card all year. That was never clearer than in Game 5, when they held Minnesota to just nine points in the first quarter and dismantled every action the Wolves tried to run.
This was a defensive clinic—hands in passing lanes, pressure at the point of attack, and help rotations that snuffed out even half-open looks. If defense wins championships, the Thunder are well-equipped for the final challenge.
Up Next: The NBA Finals
The Thunder will host Game 1 of the NBA Finals on June 5 against the winner of the Pacers-Knicks series. Whether it’s Indiana or New York, they’ll be facing the most complete team left standing—and a squad that just might be destined to finish what it started.
