The energy inside Target Center for Wolves vs OKC Game 4 was unlike anything I've felt in Minneapolis in a long time. Fans were practically vibrating. After that absolute drubbing the Wolves handed the Thunder in Game 3—a 42-point blowout that felt like a statement—everyone expected Minnesota to just steamroll their way to a tied series.
It didn't happen.
Instead, we got one of those weird, high-stakes NBA games where the box score looks like a typo. How does a team get 64 points from their bench, shoot 44% from three, and still lose? You'd think that's a winning formula. It usually is. But on this Monday night in May 2025, the Oklahoma City Thunder reminded everyone why they earned that number-one seed. They survived a second-half surge to win 128-126, taking a 3-1 lead in the Western Conference Finals.
The Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Takeover
Honestly, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is just different. Coming off a quiet Game 3 where he only put up 14 points, people were actually questioning if the Wolves' length had finally figured him out.
Big mistake.
SGA came out like he had a point to prove. He finished with a massive 40 points, 10 assists, and 9 rebounds. He was one board away from a triple-double in the most hostile environment imaginable. He didn't just score; he controlled the tempo. When the Wolves went on a run, Shai hit a fading middie. When the crowd got too loud, he drew a foul.
His most ridiculous play? A falling-down, between-the-legs pass to Jalen Williams for a corner three. It was pure magic. Williams was no slouch either, dropping 34 points of his own. Together, they combined for 74 points. That’s more than some entire teams score in a playoff half.
The Anthony Edwards Mystery
While OKC's stars were shining, Minnesota's were... well, they were lagging. Wolves vs OKC Game 4 was supposed to be the "Ant-Man" coronation. Instead, Anthony Edwards finished with 16 points.
The weirdest part? He only took two shots in the first half. Two.
Lu Dort deserves a statue in Oklahoma City for the way he face-guarded Edwards. He was literally chest-to-chest with him 35 feet from the hoop. Ant spent most of the first half looking frustrated, hands on his hips, watching his teammates play four-on-four.
Coach Chris Finch said after the game that they needed Ant to "get out in front" and be more aggressive. To his credit, Edwards was better in the second half, but he still finished 5-of-13 from the floor. He claimed he didn't "struggle" and was just making the right plays because of the "major crowd" the Thunder sent at him. Maybe. But in a game you lose by two, you need your superstar to take more than 13 shots.
The Bench Game to End All Bench Games
If you told a Wolves fan before the tip that Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Donte DiVincenzo would combine for 44 points, they would have started booking flights for Game 6.
The Minnesota bench was heroic.
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- Nickeil Alexander-Walker: 23 points, 9-of-15 shooting.
- Donte DiVincenzo: 21 points, 5-of-8 from deep.
- Naz Reid: Clutched out late free throws and high-energy blocks.
They outscored the Wolves' starters 64-62. Think about that. Jaden McDaniels played his heart out with 22 points, but the guys getting the max contracts—Anthony Edwards and Julius Randle—just didn't have it. Randle had a night he’ll want to forget: 5 points on 1-of-7 shooting. People on social media were calling him "New York Knicks playoff Randle," which is a brutal thing to say, but he really did look uncomfortable against OKC's physicality.
Why the Thunder Actually Won
Beyond the Shai brilliance, there were two "boring" stats that decided Wolves vs OKC Game 4.
First: Offensive rebounds.
OKC absolutely hammered Minnesota on the glass. They pulled in 19 offensive rebounds, leading to 24 second-chance points. Isaiah Hartenstein and Chet Holmgren (who had 21 points and 3 blocks) played like men possessed.
Second: Turnovers.
The Wolves turned the ball over 23 times. You cannot give a team like the Thunder 23 extra possessions and expect to survive. Seven of those came in the first quarter alone. It's like the Wolves were trying to play at 100mph when they only needed to go 70.
The Heart-Stopping Finale
The final 30 seconds were absolute chaos.
Jaden McDaniels hit a huge three to cut the lead to 123-121. Then we had the free-throw parade. Shai was ice cold at the line, but he did miss one of two with 8 seconds left to give Minnesota a glimmer of hope.
Down 128-125, Edwards went to the line with 3.5 seconds left. He made the first. He intentionally missed the second, trying to get a rebound and a miracle putback. The ball bounced, Shai grabbed it, and in a genius veteran move, he just fired the ball out of bounds deep down the court to bleed the clock.
0.3 seconds left.
Minnesota had one last chance for a lob. Julius Randle tried to trigger the inbounds pass, but Jalen Williams read it perfectly and tipped it away. Game over. Series basically over? History says yes. Only 13 teams have ever come back from 3-1.
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Actionable Takeaways for Game 5
If Minnesota wants to avoid elimination, they have to change the math immediately.
- Force the Issue Early: Anthony Edwards cannot wait until the third quarter to look for his shot. If Lu Dort is face-guarding, the Wolves need to use him as a screener to force a switch.
- Fix the Glass: Allowing 24 second-chance points is a death sentence. Rudy Gobert and Julius Randle have to be more disciplined on box-outs rather than just hunting for blocks.
- The Randle Factor: If Julius isn't scoring, he's a liability because the Thunder are sagging off him to double Edwards. Finch might need to consider more "small ball" minutes with Naz Reid at the four to keep the spacing alive.
- Value the Rock: 23 turnovers is an AAU-level stat. Slow it down. Execute the half-court sets.
The series moves back to Oklahoma City for Game 5. The Thunder haven't lost three games in a row all season, and they only lost six games at home during the entire regular season. It’s a mountain to climb, but after seeing the Wolves' bench play that well, you know there’s still a heartbeat in this team. They just need their stars to wake up.