Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 33 points to lead the Oklahoma City Thunder to a 135-128 win over the host Minnesota Timberwolves on Saturday.
The Thunder have won back-to-back games. The Timberwolves have dropped four of their last five.
While Gilgeous-Alexander led the way, a pair of Oklahoma City bench players provided the spark as the Thunder turned things around in the fourth.
After trailing 103-97 in the opening moments of the quarter, Jalen Williams’ 3-pointer kickstarted a 28-10 run that gave Oklahoma City control. He scored all 11 of his points in the fourth quarter, nine in the first four minutes.
Kenrich Williams, who was at the center of an incident that led to the ejection of Minnesota’s Rudy Gobert earlier in the game, scored seven of his season-high 15 points in the fourth.
Gilgeous-Alexander was 10 of 17 from the floor and made all 12 of his free throws. Josh Giddey had 21 points, 12 rebounds and seven assists.
The Thunder shot 51.6 percent from the floor and scored 34 points off Minnesota’s 23 turnovers. Thirteen of those points off turnovers came in the fourth quarter as Oklahoma City outscored Minnesota 38-27.
Early in the second quarter, Gobert was ejected after a scuffle with Kenrich Williams.
Williams fell as he drove the lane on Gobert, who fell over Williams. As Williams stood up, Gobert swept Williams’ feet, tripping the Thunder forward.
The players had to be separated and Gobert was assessed a flagrant 2.
Minnesota’s D’Angelo Russell was ejected in the final minute.
Russell led the Timberwolves with 27 points while Anthony Edwards added 26 points and six steals. Jaylen Nowell scored 21 off the bench.
The Thunder led by six at halftime before Minnesota outscored Oklahoma City 44-34 in the third, making 19 of 26 shots and scoring 28 points in the paint and 18 on the fast break.
The Timberwolves were 7 of 18 from the floor in the fourth, while the Thunder were 15 of 24.
–Field Level Media
