NBA: Oklahoma City One Win Away from First NBA Finals Since 2012
Oklahoma City Thunder moved within touching distance of the NBA Finals after a nail-biting 128–126 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves in Game 4 of the Western Conference Finals. The win gives OKC a commanding 3–1 lead in the series and puts them just one win away from their first Finals appearance since 2012.
Leading the charge was newly crowned NBA MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who delivered a masterclass performance with 40 points, 9 rebounds, and 11 assists. The Canadian guard shot 12-of-23 from inside the arc, 2-of-7 from three-point range, and an ice-cold 12-of-14 from the free-throw line — including three clutch free throws in the final 14 seconds to seal the win.
Gilgeous-Alexander became just the fifth player in NBA history to record at least 40 points, 5 rebounds, and 10 assists in a Conference Finals game — joining the elite company of legends who have done it on the biggest stage before the Finals.
If the Thunder can close out the series, it will mark their return to the NBA Finals for the first time since their 2012 run, where a young OKC team led by Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, and James Harden fell to LeBron James and the Miami Heat.