OKC Reloaded—SGA Is HIM and the Thunder Are Finals-Bound

Well, the OKC Thunder are headed to their first NBA Finals since 2012…

The Thunder absolutely murdered the Wolves 124-94 in Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals Wednesday night in OKC.

The game was basically over after the first quarter.

OKC dropped the hammer early, opening with a 26-9 lead and holding Minnesota to their lowest-scoring quarter all season.

The Wolves were broker than Will Smith in The Pursuit of Happyness. Shot 3-for-20 in the first quarter. 0-for-9 from three.

Only Anthony Edwards and Julius Randle scored in the entire opening frame.

That’s not NBA basketball — that’s rec league energy.

Now let’s get straight to it.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is HIM.

The man is in another stratosphere right now.

Let’s talk facts:

• 34 PTS / 8 AST / 7 REB / 2 STL

• 14-of-25 FG

• WCF MVP — UNANIMOUS

• First player ever to win Regular Season MVP + WCF MVP in the same season

  
  

He averaged 31.4 PPG, 8.2 APG, 5.2 RPG, 1.8 SPG in these Western Conference Finals— and he’s not just stuffing stat sheets. He’s changing the game, possession by possession.

And let’s not ignore the company he’s keeping:

SGA joins Michael Jordan and LeBron James as the only three players in NBA history with 10+ games of 30+ points and 5+ assists in a single postseason.

He needs two more to set the all-time record. Read that again.

This man is on a mission.

Scoring champ.

All-NBA First Team.

Regular Season MVP.

WCF MVP.

And possibly — Finals MVP and NBA Champion.

And he isn’t doing it alone, either.

Chet Holmgren looked like Pau Gasol and a vegan  Kevin Durant had a baby—22 points, 7 boards, and defensive presence for days.

Jalen Williams — 19 and 8 like it was light work.

This whole Thunder crew plays like they’ve been here before — but guess what?

They haven’t.

OKC is officially the first team since the 2002 Nets to make the Finals without a single player who’s played 10+ NBA seasons.

All that talk about “young teams can’t win”? Gone like Minnesota’s shooting percentage in the first quarter.

As for the Wolves... man.

Anthony Edwards is still that dude. Only 23. Already got Minnesota to back-to-back Conference Finals. Still has that dawg in him. But dawg needs a leash and some help.

Julius Randle? He showed up—24 points.

Everyone else? Witness protection program.

Rudy Gobert played like a remix of Shaqtin’ a Fool.

And the turnovers? They had more of those than field goals in the first half.

12-for-39 FG with 14 turnovers.

To his credit, Ant-Man told reporters postgame, "I'm going to work my butt off this summer."

I believe him.

But he needs a squad.

Final Thoughts

I was wrong. I picked the Wolves in 7.

OKC's built different. They play selflessly. They defend ruthlessly. They score artistically.

They're here now.

And if you’re sleeping on them heading into the Finals? That alarm clock’s about to sound real loud.

Let the Dream Thunderstorm begin.