Thunder vs. Timberwolves score: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scores 38 after getting MVP trophy as OKC goes up 2-0

SGA and the Thunder were impressive in a Game 2 win on Thursday night

The Oklahoma City Thunder took care of business again on Thursday night with a comfortable 118-103 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves in Game 2 of the Western Conference finals. Now up 2-0 in the series, the Thunder are two wins away from their first trip to the NBA Finals since 2012. 

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was named the 2025 NBA MVP on Wednesday, officially ending a months-long debate about whether he or Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokić would win the honor. It turned out to be rather anticlimactic, as Gilgeous-Alexander received 71 of a possible 100 first-place votes.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander named MVP: Thunder star put up one of best guard seasons in NBA history

Sam Quinn

Prior to Thursday's game, Gilgeous-Alexander received the Michael Jordan trophy in front of an adoring crowd inside the Paycom Center. He then delivered a masterful performance that showed exactly why he joined Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook as the only players in Thunder history to be named MVP. 

Gilgeous-Alexander matched his playoff career-high with 38 points, adding three rebounds, eight assists and three steals. He made 12 of his 21 field goal attempts, and 13 of his 15 foul shots.

This was the fifth consecutive 30-point game for Gilgeous-Alexander, and his ninth during this postseason. If you include the regular season and the playoffs, this was his 58th 30-point game this season, which is tied with Durant for the most in a single season in franchise history.

Last season during a postgame interview, Gilgeous-Alexander gave a quote which not only summed up his style of play and unconventional rise to stardom, but also has become the focal point of countless TikTok edits.

"My whole life is consistent," Gilgeous-Alexander said. 

That trait was on display yet again Thursday, as Gilgeous-Alexander scored at least eight points in all four quarters. He never gave the Timberwolves a break, and by the fourth quarter Jaden McDaniels was so fed up that he just shoved Gilgeous-Alexander in the back on a drive, which earned him a flagrant foul.

The Timberwolves are a great defensive team, and in theory should have one of the best units to throw at Gilgeous-Alexander, but there's little anyone can do when he's operating at the level he was at in Game 2. There will be more complaints about his trips to the free throw line, but he also hit a number of absurd shots.

Where Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's free-throw attempts rank in NBA MVP history, and why context is important

Colin Ward-Henninger

About the only mistake Gilgeous-Alexander has made recently was not getting coach Mark Daigneault one of the watches that he presented his teammates for helping him win MVP. 

"[Shai] made the statement that everyone loves watches and I was like, well, not everyone," Daigneault joked on Thursday.

The good news for Daigneault is that if Gilgeous-Alexander keeps playing like this, he'll soon deliver him an even better gift than a watch -- a trip to the NBA Finals. 

[May 22, 2025 at 11:18 pm ET · Jack Maloney]

FINAL: Thunder 118 -- Timberwolves 103

The Oklahoma City Thunder are just two wins away from a trip to the NBA Finals after 15-point win over the Minnesota Timberwolves in Game 2 of the Western Conference finals on Thursday. 

Broadly speaking, this contest followed a similar script to Game 1. After a competitive first half, the Thunder used a dominant third quarter to seize control. They outscored the Wolves 35-21 in the third in Game 2, and are now plus-28 in the frame in the series. 

While the Wolves showed more fight in the fourth quarter than they did a few nights ago, all that meant was briefly cutting the deficit down to 10. There was never a point down the stretch where it actually felt like the Thunder would lose. 

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was named MVP on Wednesday, joining Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook as the only players in franchise history to win that award. He received his trophy prior to the game, then put on a performance worthy of the honor. Gilgeous-Alexander finished with 38 points, three rebounds, eight assists and three steals. 

Jalen Williams (26 points, 10 rebounds and five assists) and Chet Holmgren (22 points) also had big nights for the Thunder, who shot 50% from the field. 

On the Timberwolves' side, Anthony Edwards showed up in a major way with 32 points, nine rebounds and six assists, but he didn't get enough help. Notably, Julius Randle managed just six points on 2 of 11 from the field and did not play in the fourth quarter. 

Game 3 is set for Saturday in Minneapolis. 

[May 22, 2025 at 9:51 pm ET · Brad Botkin]

Halftime: OKC 58, Wolves 50

Minnesota is getting a lot more bench and paint penetration than it got in Game 1, the 3s are falling, and Anthony Edwards is on the attack having already taken five more shots than he did in the entire opener and has 16 points at the break. And yet, the Thunder, despite being 4 of 23 from 3, are still winning. 

Minnesota has no answer for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who is matching Edwards star for star with 19 points on 6-of-9 shooting while Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren have combined for 21. 

It still feels like OKC just has a bit too much firepower offensively for Minnesota to keep up against OKC's world-class defense. Minnesota is getting into the paint a far more frequent rate than it did in Game 1, and it is creating good looks on kickouts, but overall the offense still feels more uphill than OKC's as the actual shots in the paint are still going awry. 

But the Wolves are in range. Let's see if they can pull off a big second half and even this series 1-1. It would certainly help if Julius Randle, who had 28 in Game 1 but was held to two points in the first half, can pick up his scoring. 

[May 22, 2025 at 9:18 pm ET · Brad Botkin]

1Q Score: Thunder 29, Wolves 25

Minnesota is hanging in the first quarter on the strength of a strong drive-and-kick game that has resulted in five 3-pointers to OKC's one. Anthony Edwards is on the attack having already taken 10 shots, while on the other side Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who was presented with his first MVP prior to the game, is off a nice start with eight points on 3-of-3 shooting. 

[May 22, 2025 at 8:53 pm ET · Stephen Pianovich]

Scott Foster gets bloody nose from Lu Dort

The Thunder drew first blood in this series in Game 1. Drawing first blood in Game 2? That would be veteran referee Scott Foster. Yes, the ref got a bloody nose on a jump ball as Thunder forward Lu Dort hit foster inadvertently after jumping for the tip. Here's a look:

The game was delayed for a few minutes as Foster's nose stopped bleeding. His left nostril got plugged up, and he continued on reffing. They aren't kidding when they say physicality has gone too far in the 2025 NBA playoffs.

[May 22, 2025 at 8:42 pm ET · Stephen Pianovich]

SGA gets his trophy

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, announced as the NBA's 2025 MVP yesterday, was honored in front of his home crowd on Thursday night. The Thunder star got 71 first-place votes to win his first MVP award, beating out Nuggets star Nikola Jokić.

NBA commissioner Adam Silver was on hand in OKC to present SGA with the trophy.

[May 22, 2025 at 12:32 pm ET · Aaron Gray]

Best bets for Thursday's Game 2

Timberwolves' Julius Randle shot lights out in the first half of Game 1 in this series, but Minnesota couldn't keep pace with the Thunder down the stretch. Can Randle pick up where he left off, or does OKC have bigger plans defensively? Our Sam Quinn has predictions, player props and more.

Where to watch Thunder vs. Timberwolves: TV channel, Game 5 stream, odds, Western Conference finals schedule

Sam Quinn