Monday 301 US professional basketball team Oklahoma City Thunder vs Minnesota Timberwolves

Match time: 2025-05-27 08:30

42 points lost to Oklahoma City guard and NBA Most Valuable Player Shea Gilgers-Alexander in lingering fears.

On Monday night, Gilgers Alexander and his teammates will work hard to prove that Game 3 is just an accident for the team, not a rift of the foundation. The Thunder will face the Minnesota Timberwolves in Minneapolis for Game 4 of the Western Conference Finals.

Oklahoma City led 2-1 in a four-win series with seven games but suffered a 143-101 defeat on Saturday night.

Gilgers-Alexander said that this embarrassing failure should serve as a warning.

"I promise you that we won't think we'll be done that way," said Gilgers-Alexander. "But no matter what the outcome is, if we want to achieve our ultimate goal, we must think clearly. The days in between are just to get better."

At the same time, the Timberwolves are eager to continue their efforts on a big win and strive to equalize the score. A loss will put them on the verge of elimination, and the fifth series will be back to Oklahoma City.

Timberwolves guard Rudy Gobert said the team's strategy should be simple.

"We know who we are," Gobert said, "so be ourselves." Anthony Edwards led the Timberwolves with 26.7 points per game in the first three games of the series. Julius Randle averaged 19.3 points per game, while Jaden McDaniels averaged 13.0 points per game.

Gilgers Alexander led the Thunder with an average of 27.7 points per game in this series. Jaylen Williams (19.3 points per game) and Chet Holmgren (15.7 points per game) form the Thunder's Big Three.

Homgren expressed confidence that he and his Thunder teammates could rebound strongly in Minnesota's two straight wins. He admitted that the Timberwolves had regrouped after losing the first and second games, and said Oklahoma City needed to study game videos and find ways to revive morale.

"We have to do the same thing as they (after the second game)," Homgren said. "We have to look back and see why their strategy works and then find a way to deal with it." Gilgers Alexander said that this is an option for the Thunder. He scored 31 points in Game 1 and 38 points in Game 2, but he was underperformed on Saturday, making 4 of 13 shots and only 14 points.

"(In) a long season, you're going to be hit," Gilgers Alexander said. "The key is to get back on your feet, how to deal with it. That's where the challenge lies."

"(Game 3) We're beaten to pieces. In the next game, we either get back on your feet or give up. … We're going to make a decision."

Timberwolves rookie Terrence Shannon Jr. is expected to get more playing time on Monday. He came off the bench to score 15 points in Game 3, and he impressed his teammates and coaches with his physical ability to fight the strong impact on the rim.

"I've been trying to find new guys in the rotation," Timberwolves coach Chris Finch said. "A player who can open up space in the conversion offense, can go downhill quickly, has good physical fitness and has good physical fitness..."

"You will definitely see him often."