The Oklahoma City Thunder held off the hot-shooting Minnesota Timberwolves on Monday with a 128-126 victory in Minneapolis to take a 3-1 series lead. In the first close game of the series, the Thunder forced just enough missed shots and made their free throws late. Here are five takeaways from Game 4 of the Western Conference Finals.
1. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had an ugly career-high game
The 40 points by the Thunder’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander were the most of his young career, and he had to work hard for them. SGA took 30 shots, going 13-of-30, and endured five turnovers and committed four fouls. But you don’t get any extra points for efficiency in the playoffs, and Gilgeous-Alexander willed his team to victory with his 40-piece, plus 10 assists and nine rebounds, four on the offensive end.