In a closely contested battle at the top of the Western Conference standings, the Minnesota Timberwolves edged out the Oklahoma City Thunder with a 107-101 victory during Monday’s NBA action, led by Anthony Edwards’ 27-point performance.
Karl-Anthony Towns contributed a double-double with 21 points and 10 rebounds. In comparison, Rudy Gobert dominated the boards with 17 rebounds alongside his 12 points for the Timberwolves, who were looking to bounce back after losing three of their last five games. Edwards’ efficient scoring night saw him making half of his 20 attempts.
“I think it was a great game,” Edwards said. “Great effort by both teams. Great job by both coaches. I feel like we just made more plays down the stretch.”
Timberwolves coach Chris Finch praised Edwards for his decision-making and aggressiveness on the court.
“Anthony did a really good job with picking his spots, trusting his teammates, playing clean and quick, getting downhill, putting the pressure on them,” Finch said.
NBA NEWS & SCORES: Anthony Edwards, Minnesota Timberwolves, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Oklahoma City Thunder Updates
On the opposing side, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the Thunder with a 37-point outing, and Jalen Williams added 20 points, though it wasn’t enough to extend their recent five-game winning streak.
The season series between the two teams ended tied, with each team winning two games apiece. The matchup was a significant test, as Gilgeous-Alexander noted, emphasizing the challenge and excitement of playing against top competition.
“It’s why we play the game,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “You play to play the best teams in the league. You wake up for games like that. You really get to test yourself and see where you are. It was a dogfight tonight.”
Thanks to Minnesota’s defensive efforts, Chet Holmgren, a standout rookie for the Thunder, was limited to just four points on a tough shooting night. Despite this, Towns recognized Holmgren’s team-oriented play.
“We did a good job of defending him and just made him take tough shots, and I could see it for him, you know, he was trying to get his teammates open, so he was just playing team basketball,” Towns said.
NBA NEWS & SCORES: Anthony Edwards, Minnesota Timberwolves, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Oklahoma City Thunder Updates
The game’s critical moment came with just under three minutes left when Edwards’ emphatic dunk gave the Timberwolves a lead they would not relinquish, ensuring a victory even without point guard Mike Conley, who missed the game due to a sore left hamstring.
Finch highlighted the importance of closing out the game strongly, a recent challenge for the team, hoping this win serves as a building block for future performances.
“We really did a good job of finishing this game, which we haven’t been doing,” Finch said. “So hopefully it’s a good step and we can build on that part of it.”
NBA NEWS & SCORES: Anthony Edwards, Minnesota Timberwolves, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Oklahoma City Thunder Updates
Despite a competitive effort, the Thunder felt the strain of their schedule. They played their third game in four days and came off a back-to-back set, a challenge Gilgeous-Alexander acknowledged but was determined to overcome.
“It’s hard just getting adjusted to,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “Now, with that being said, the NBA doesn’t care. Your opponents don’t care. Nobody cares. You’ve got to fight through it and get it done.”
Looking ahead, the Timberwolves are set to host the Dallas Mavericks, while the Thunder will welcome the Denver Nuggets in their next matchups.
