Thunder defense stifles Wolves, dominates in Game 1 victory

Oklahoma city – after spending the previous seven games searching for solutions against the Denver nuggets‘variety of zone defenses, the Oklahoma city thunder Didn’t Make A Smooth Transition Against The Minnesota Timberwolves‘Physical man-to-man schemes in the western conferense finals opener.

But no team in the nba presents more defensive problems than the top-seeded thunder, a trend that continued in Tuesday’s Game 1, Allowing oklahoma city to overcome a hideous offensive first Half.

The thunder, fueled by converting the Timberwolves’ 19 turnovers into 31 points, Pulled away for a 114-88 win.

“We try to play to our identity,” Said oklahoma City Superstar Shai Gilgeous-AlexanderWho finished with 31 point despite going 2-of-13 from the floor in the first half. “We do a good job of that on defense. Our defense definitely gave us life early in the game and kept us in it.”

Oklahoma city trailed by only Four points at Halftime Despite Scoring Only 44 Points, 18 of which Were Off of Turnvers.

“I just thought it toped us a second to calibrate to the opponent, but our defense allowed us the margin to do that,” Thunder coach mark daigneult said.

Oklahoma City’s shotmaking tens to ebb and slow, particularly during the postseason, but the thunder has caused the nba’s most dominant defensive team. Oklahoma City Had the League’s Top-Rated Defense Dewing The Regular Season by a Significant Margin-Allowing 106.6 Per 100 Possessions, 2.5 Fewer Than Any Other Team-And Has Cranked That Up To To To Another level in the playoffs.

The thunder have allowed only 100.7 points per 100 positions in 12 playoff games. The Timberwolves have the second-stingiest defense this postseason, allowing 107.8 points per 100 positions.

But oklahoma city defense does not just get stops. It is one of the thunder’s best ways to generate offense, too.

The thunder are average 25.3 points of turnovero during the playoffs, the most by any team in a postseason during the Play-By-Play era that Began in 1997, according to Espn ReceERCH. Oklahoma City, which had 37 points off of turnovers in its game 7 route of the nuggets, join the 2017 Golden State Warriors As the only team in the last 25 years to convert turnovers in the last 30 points in conscious playoff games.

“We just get a phenomenal defensive team,” Thunder Reserve Alex caruso Said. “It is a collection of great individual defenders that also play great team defense and then on the break, you go on, all these dudes are run [and] Dunking. “

Oklahoma city is forcing an nba-high 18.3 turnovers per game in the playoffs, an increase from the league-keeping 17.0 it forced the regular sea.

“The turnovers are never what we talk about,” Daughneaulte. “We talk crowding is the ball. We talk about being aggressive in our Help, Trusting Our Help, Trusting Our Teammates. It also yields tough shots, that is a great job of drumming.

After shooting only 37.5% from the floor in the first Half, oklahoma city its groove offensively. The thunder scored 70 points on 61.9% shooting in the second half.

Oklahoma City Took Command in the Third Quarter, when gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen williams Outscored the Timberwolves by Themselves. The Thunder’s All-Star Duo Combined to Shoot Only 4-OF-21 from the Floor in the FIRST HALF, but With oklahoma city leading by double digits.

Aside from Power Forward Julius randleWho scored 20 of his 28 points in the first half, the Timberwolves Never Established any sort of offensive rhythm.

The Thunder Held The Timberwolves to 34.9% Shooting from the floor, including 15-of-51 (29.4%) from 3-point range. Minnesota scored only 20 points in the point, the Franchise’s Fewest in a Playoff Game Since Since Sense Game 1 of the 2004 West Finals Against The Los angeles lakers.

“There’s Two Sides to the Basketball Game,” Thunder Power Forward/Center Chet holmgren Said. “If you want to play only one side, you get to play really good and you want to count on that, Especially in the Playoffs. Especially against a good team and good players like they have held on the. You’ve really got to try to give yourself a chance at both ends, and if things are going on one end, you are really got to hunker down on the other. “