Instant analysis: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Thunder snap losing streak vs. Timberwolves

MINNEAPOLIS — To beat the Thunder, teams have to win the minutes when Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is on the bench.

The Timberwolves failed to do that Saturday night, and the Thunder left the Twin Cities tundra with a 135-128 win. OKC snapped a six-game losing streak to Minnesota.

The Thunder (10-13) did it by dominating the fourth quarter.

OKC, with Gilgeous-Alexander off the floor, started the fourth quarter in a four-point hole. Rookie guard Jalen Williams, scoreless through three quarters, quickly dug the Thunder out of it.

“The thing that continues to impress me about him is just his willingness to let the game come to him,” Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said.

The reigning Western Conference Rookie of the Month rattled off nine points and two assists in the first five minutes of the fourth quarter.

The Thunder sprinted to an 18-9 advantage in the fourth, with Willliams initiating just about all of it.

By the time SGA checked back in with 5:16 to play, the Thunder had built a seven-point lead — marking an 11-point turnaround.

“It went from them having the momentum at the end of the third to us having it midway through the fourth,” Daigneault said.

SGA made it a nine-point Thunder lead after draining a silky mid-range jumper.

Gilgeous-Alexander had his 16th 30-point game. He scored 33 points on 10-of-17 shooting. He went 12-of-12 from the free throw line, with nine of those makes coming in the first quarter.

Nine free throw attempts in one quarter marked a season-high for SGA.

Gilgeous-Alexander showed no ill effects of the hip injury that sidelined him for one game.

“It felt good playing basketball again,” SGA said with a smile.

After being outscored 44-34 in the third quarter, the Thunder outscored the Timberwolves 38-27 in the fourth quarter.

D’Angelo Russell (27 points) and Anthony Edwards (26 points) handled much of the scoring for Minnesota, which was without star big man Karl-Anthony Towns.

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Josh Giddey finds shot

Thunder guard Josh Giddey was all smiles after draining his third 3-pointer of the night.

Assisted by SGA, Giddey’s 3-pointer gave the Thunder a 12-point lead with four minutes to play.

Giddey has been much maligned for his jump shot, too much so considering his other promising attributes and young age, but Giddey’s jumper was good in Minneapolis.

“He didn’t waver tonight,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “He was good. He made a lot of big plays.”

The Thunder sophomore scored 21 points on 50% shooting. He was 3-of-7 from behind the arc. As usual, Giddey contributed in other areas with 12 rebounds and seven assists.

“He was all over the glass,” Daigneault said. “I thought he played a really good offensive game, spraying the ball all over the place.”

The Thunder shot 11-of-26 (42%) from 3-point range and 52% overall.

The Thunder is 5-0 when it shoots better than 50% from the field.

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Playing with pace

The game was played at a frenzied pace.

“A track meet is probably the perfect way to describe it,” Giddey said.

The Timberwolves had 26 fast-break points to the Thunder’s 21.

The up-and-down game had lots of turnovers: 23 for the Timberwolves and 21 for the Thunder. OKC outscored Minnesota 34-29 in points off turnovers.

“It was a fun environment to be in,” Giddey said. “When we’re up and down like that, we’re not really running offense. We’re playing out of drags, we’re playing out of fastbreaks, we’re tough to stop. That’s when we’re at our best.”

The game sped up even more once Rudy Gobert was tossed.

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Rudy Gobert ejected

Kenrich Williams isn’t someone you want to trip. Somebody should have told Rudy Gobert.

As Williams leapt for a layup early in the second quarter, he and Gobert collided midair. Williams fell, which then caused Gobert to lose his balance and fall.

It was a normal basketball play until Gobert, still lying on the court, intentionally tripped Williams as Williams tried to get up. Williams fell back down and that’s when the two players almost got into a fight.

Williams confronted Gobert and Gobert pushed him away. Williams then stood over Gobert, and for a split second, it looked like Williams might take a swing. He held up, though, and the two players were separated.

After review, Gobert was charged with a Flagrant 2 and ejected from the game.

“I’m not gonna comment on (Gobert’s) intent,” Daigneault said. “I saw it play out, and then whenever (the officials) go to the monitor like that, I trust that they get it right, so I’m assuming they got it right.”

Williams, who scored a season-high 15 points on 6-of-7 shooting, was assessed a technical foul.

Williams, nicknamed Kenny Hustle, might be the Thunder’s toughest player. It’s never a good idea to pick a fight with Williams. Especially on a day when his alma mater, TCU, lost in heartbreaking fashion.

“He doesn’t fear anybody or anything,” Daigneault said.

Gobert had six points and four rebounds before exiting.

Naz Reid started in place of Gobert in the second half. Reid, who had a career-high 18 rebounds, is going to be sore in the morning. It seemed like he was on the floor every other play.

The game stayed chippy after Gobert’s ejection.

There were half a dozen technicals in the game, and Russell was ejected late in the fourth quarter.

“Just being level-headed and sticking together was really important for this full 48 (minutes),” Thunder center Jeremiah Robinson-Earl said.

The Wolves weren’t level-headed whatsoever.

"The frustrations boiled over,” Minnesota coach Chris Finch said. “It was not the most mature effort by us.”

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Thunder tip-ins

• Karl-Anthony Towns (right calf strain) and Taurean Prince (right shoulder subluxation) were out for the Timberwolves.

• Wolves fans were peeved with the officiating crew, especially after a charge call that wasn’t overturned upon review. A lot of “refs you suck” chants.

• Mike Muscala (left pinky fracture) was available but didn’t play. “It’s great having him,” Daigneault said. “He’s a weapon … His shooting really helps the guard play.”

• It was a timely return for Muscala, who missed the last five games. Muscala went to Roseville High School, just outside of Minneapolis. Muscala lives in Cannon Falls, Minnesota, in the offseason.

• Aaron Wiggins, Isaiah Joe and Jaylin Williams did not play (coach’s decision).

• Thunder rookie Chet Holmgren, from Minneapolis, made the trip to his hometown. Holmgren (right foot surgery) warmed up before the game. He was dialed in from 3-point range. Holmgren will have a planned follow-up surgery in the coming weeks to remove the hardware in his foot. He’s already been ruled out for the season.

• The Thunder and Timberwolves will wrap up their season series — which Minnesota leads 2-1 — on Dec. 16.

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This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: OKC Thunder, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander beat Minnesota Timberwolves