Game ID: 22300058
Oklahoma City Thunder @ Minnesota Timberwolves
Tuesday, November 28, 2023 at 8:00 PM ET
Target Center, Minneapolis, MN
Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Final
MIN 19 34 23 30 106OKC 29 32 17 25 103
MIN vs OKC ScoutingMIN vs OKC Scouting
Welcome to the scouting desk. The coffee is cold, the film is play-by-play, and somebody has to explain what happened.
Every game has a hinge — a stretch where it was decided, usually while everyone was watching something else. Start where the evidence lives: the Lineups' face-offs say which five actually won their minutes; the Possessions ledger says who ran ahead of the night's own pace; the Shot Chart says where the points really came from, which is rarely where the highlights were. When all three agree, that is the story. When they don't — that is why this desk has a chair.
MIN availability going into 11/20 · 1 day's restOUT McLaughlin missed 6 since 11/08, out tonight
MIN availability going into 11/22 · 1 day's restOUT McLaughlin missed 7 since 11/08, out tonight
MIN availability going into 11/24 · 1 day's restOUT McLaughlin missed 8 since 11/08, out tonight
MIN availability going into 11/26 · 1 day's restOUT McDaniels missed 2 since 11/22, out tonight
OUT McLaughlin missed 9 since 11/08, out tonight
MIN availability going into 11/28 · 1 day's restOUT McDaniels missed 3 since 11/22, out tonight
OUT McLaughlin missed 10 since 11/08, out tonight
NEW Brown Jr. 11 to 17 min over the last 4
MIN availability going into 11/30 · 1 day's restOUT McDaniels missed 4 since 11/22, out tonight
OUT McLaughlin missed 11 since 11/08, out tonight
NEW Alexander-Walker 24 to 29 min over the last 5
NEW Brown Jr. 11 to 18 min over the last 5
MIN availability going into 12/02 · 1 day's restOUT McDaniels missed 5 since 11/22, out tonight
OUT McLaughlin missed 12 since 11/08, out tonight
NEW Alexander-Walker 24 to 29 min over the last 5
NEW Brown Jr. 11 to 20 min over the last 5
MIN availability going into 12/06 · 3 days' restOUT Edwards missed 2 since 11/30, returns tonight: 37 min (102% of 36)
OUT McDaniels missed 6 since 11/22, out tonight
OUT McLaughlin missed 13 since 11/08, out tonight
NEW Alexander-Walker 24 to 30 min over the last 5
NEW Brown Jr. 11 to 25 min over the last 5
MIN availability going into 12/08 · 1 day's restOUT McDaniels missed 7 since 11/22, out tonight
OUT McLaughlin missed 14 since 11/08, out tonight
BACK Edwards back 12/06 after 2, 37 min since (102% of 36)
NEW Alexander-Walker 24 to 29 min over the last 5
NEW Brown Jr. 11 to 25 min over the last 5
OKC availability going into 11/18 · 1 day's restOUT Dieng missed 2 since 11/14, out tonight
BACK Micić back 11/14 after 4, 20 min since (169% of 12)
OKC availability going into 11/19 · back-to-backOUT Dieng missed 3 since 11/14, out tonight
BACK Micić back 11/14 after 4, 16 min since (134% of 12)
OKC availability going into 11/22 · 2 days' restOUT Dieng missed 4 since 11/14, out tonight
BACK Micić back 11/14 after 4, 14 min since (114% of 12)
OKC availability going into 11/25 · 2 days' restOUT Jal. Williams missed 2 since 11/19, out tonight
OUT Dieng missed 5 since 11/14, returns tonight: 8 min (81% of 10)
BACK Micić back 11/14 after 4, 13 min since (110% of 12)
OKC availability going into 11/28 · 2 days' restOUT Jal. Williams missed 3 since 11/19, returns tonight: 34 min (106% of 32)
BACK Dieng back 11/25 after 5, 8 min since (81% of 10)
NEW Joe 18 to 24 min over the last 5
OKC availability going into 11/30 · 1 day's restOUT Micić missed 2 since 11/25, out tonight
BACK Jal. Williams back 11/28 after 3, 34 min since (106% of 32)
BACK Dieng back 11/25 after 5, 5 min since (48% of 10)
NEW Joe 18 to 23 min over the last 5
OKC availability going into 12/02 · 1 day's restOUT Micić missed 3 since 11/25, out tonight
BACK Jal. Williams back 11/28 after 3, 32 min since (98% of 32)
BACK Dieng back 11/25 after 5, 5 min since (48% of 10)
OKC availability going into 12/06 · 3 days' restOUT Micić missed 4 since 11/25, out tonight
OUT Dieng missed 2 since 11/30, out tonight
BACK Jal. Williams back 11/28 after 3, 31 min since (96% of 32)
NEW Joe 18 to 24 min over the last 5
OKC availability going into 12/08 · 1 day's restOUT Micić missed 5 since 11/25, out tonight
OUT Dieng missed 3 since 11/30, out tonight
BACK Jal. Williams back 11/28 after 3, 31 min since (98% of 32)
I Know — the desk, before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Minnesota comes in 4-1 over its last five, scoring 116 a night and allowing 108, shooting 50 percent and 39 from three, 27 free throws a game; Edwards at 27 and Towns at 23 a game. Without McDaniels (3 straight). One day's rest. OKC comes in 4-1 over its last five, scoring 126 a night and allowing 110, shooting 51 percent and 47 from three, 24 free throws a game; Gilgeous-Alexander at 33 and Holmgren at 23 a game. Without Jal. Williams (3 straight). 2 days' rest.
So: Minnesota wins, and the game turns on the arc, OKC at 47 percent from three to Minnesota's 39 and the turnovers, Minnesota giving it away 14 times a game to OKC's 11. Call it Minnesota 115, OKC 114, OKC keeping it close.
11/20 vs NYK 117-100 — MIN notes
MIN won 117-100. MIN shot 51% (41 of 80) to NYK's 35%, 11 of 34 from three. Edwards led with 23 (9 of 21, 1 of 6 from three); Towns added 20, Gobert 16. The hinge was Q3, 35-19: a lead of 2 became 18, and the lead reached 22. Conley was the night's best plus/minus at +20.
11/22 vs PHI 112-99 — MIN notes
MIN won 112-99. MIN shot 48% (43 of 89) to PHI's 39%, 10 of 26 from three, and got to the line 24 times to PHI's 30. Edwards led with 31 (11 of 22, 5 of 9 from three); Towns added 23, Gobert 13. The hinge was Q1, 37-20: from level to 17 ahead, and the lead reached 21. Alexander-Walker was the night's best plus/minus at +22.
11/24 vs SAC 111-124 — MIN notes
MIN lost 111-124. MIN shot 44% (36 of 82) to SAC's 49%, 12 of 33 from three, and went to the line 29 times to SAC's 11 — 27 points from the stripe to their 9. MIN turned it over 18 times to SAC's 13. A. Edwards led with 35 (8 of 21, 2 of 9 from three, 17 of 18 at the line); Towns added 27, Gobert 12. Q2 was theirs, 33-32, the deficit cut from 7 to 6, but the other 3 periods went 92-78 against them. Anderson's -24 in 18 minutes was the worst on the floor.
11/26 @ MEM 119-97 — MIN notes
MIN won 119-97. MIN shot 53% (43 of 81) to MEM's 39%, 15 of 34 from three. Edwards led with 24 (8 of 14, 1 of 4 from three, 7 of 7 at the line); Conley added 18, Towns 18. The hinge was Q2, 29-17: a lead of 5 became 17, and the lead reached 26. Edwards was the night's best plus/minus at +23.
11/28 vs OKC 106-103 — MIN notes
MIN won 106-103. MIN shot 42% (33 of 78) to OKC's 41%, 14 of 33 from three, and went to the line 32 times to OKC's 23 — 26 points from the stripe to their 18. MIN turned it over 19 times to OKC's 8, and OKC turned those into 8 steals. The glass went 51-36 for them. Edwards led with 21 (7 of 16, 3 of 6 from three, 4 of 6 at the line); Gobert added 17, Brown Jr. 17. The hinge was Q3, 23-17: the deficit went from 8 to 2. MIN trailed 53-61 at the half and won the second half 53-42. Conley was the night's best plus/minus at +17.
11/30 vs UTA — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Minnesota comes in 4-1 over its last five, scoring 113 a night and allowing 105, shooting 48 percent and 39 from three, 28 free throws a game; Edwards at 27 and Towns at 20 a game. Without McDaniels (4 straight). One day's rest. Utah comes in 2-3 over its last five, scoring 103 a night and allowing 114, shooting 42 percent and 34 from three, 20 free throws a game; Collins at 14 and George at 13 a game. Without Markkanen (3 straight), Hendricks (17 straight), Dunn (2 straight). Second night of a back-to-back.
So: Minnesota wins, and the game turns on the line, where Minnesota takes 28 free throws a game to Utah's 20 and the defense, Minnesota allowing 105 a night to Utah's 114. Call it Minnesota 117, Utah 104, Minnesota by 13.
12/02 @ CHA — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Charlotte comes in 3-2 over its last five, scoring 115 a night and allowing 121, shooting 47 percent and 44 from three, 17 free throws a game; Ball at 26 and Rozier at 23 a game. It has lost the glass by 4 a night. Without Ball (2 straight), Richards (6 straight). One day's rest. Minnesota comes in 4-1 over its last five, scoring 110 a night and allowing 103, shooting 46 percent and 40 from three, 24 free throws a game; Edwards at 28 and Towns at 23 a game. That is 3 straight wins. Without McDaniels (5 straight). One day's rest.
So: Minnesota wins, on the road, and the game turns on the defense, Minnesota allowing 103 a night to Charlotte's 121 and the glass, where Minnesota has been plus-2 a night and Charlotte minus-4. Call it Minnesota 115, Charlotte 110.
12/06 vs SAS — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Minnesota comes in 4-1 over its last five, scoring 112 a night and allowing 106, shooting 47 percent and 39 from three, 25 free throws a game; Edwards at 27 and Towns at 24 a game. That is 4 straight wins. Without Edwards (2 straight), McDaniels (6 straight). 3 days' rest. San Antonio comes in 0-5 over its last five, scoring 115 a night and allowing 123, shooting 46 percent and 35 from three, 20 free throws a game; Wembanyama at 22 and Vassell at 20 a game. That is 5 straight losses. Without McDermott (2 straight). 4 days' rest.
So: Minnesota wins, and the game turns on the defense, Minnesota allowing 106 a night to San Antonio's 123 and the line, where Minnesota takes 25 free throws a game to San Antonio's 20. Call it Minnesota 119, San Antonio 109, Minnesota by 10.
12/08 @ MEM — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Memphis comes in 3-2 over its last five, scoring 107 a night and allowing 104, shooting 47 percent and 32 from three, 17 free throws a game; Bane at 27 and Jackson Jr. at 21 a game. Without Morant (20 straight), Smart (9 straight), Jackson (5 straight). One day's rest. Minnesota comes in 5-0 over its last five, scoring 110 a night and allowing 100, shooting 46 percent and 38 from three, 24 free throws a game; Towns at 21 and Edwards at 21 a game. That is 5 straight wins. It has won the glass by 5 a night. Without McDaniels (7 straight). One day's rest.
So: Minnesota wins, on the road, and the game turns on the line, where Minnesota takes 24 free throws a game to Memphis's 17 and the arc, Minnesota at 38 percent from three to Memphis's 32. Call it Minnesota 108, Memphis 106, Memphis keeping it close.
11/18 @ GSW 130-123 — OKC notes
OKC won 130-123 in 1 overtime. OKC shot 52% (52 of 100) to GSW's 45%, 8 of 23 from three. OKC turned it over 10 times to GSW's 16. Gilgeous-Alexander led with 40 (18 of 29, 2 of 3 from three); Holmgren added 36, Jal. Williams 22. The hinge was Q3, 34-26: the deficit went from 10 to 2. OKC trailed 51-61 at the half and won the second half 79-62. Joe was the night's best plus/minus at +17.
11/19 @ POR 134-91 — OKC notes
OKC won 134-91. OKC shot 60% (49 of 81) to POR's 40%, 22 of 36 from three, and got to the line 14 times to POR's 21. The glass went 43-31 for them. Gilgeous-Alexander led with 28 (10 of 13, 7 of 7 at the line); Holmgren added 16, Joe 15. The hinge was Q2, 43-22: a lead of 12 became 33, and the lead reached 47. Dort was the night's best plus/minus at +27.
11/22 vs CHI 116-102 — OKC notes
OKC won 116-102. OKC shot 49% (37 of 75) to CHI's 39%, 11 of 29 from three, and went to the line 38 times to CHI's 17 — 31 points from the stripe to their 17. Gilgeous-Alexander led with 40 (11 of 19, 1 of 3 from three, 17 of 18 at the line); Joe added 20, Holmgren 18. The hinge was Q1, 26-14: from level to 12 ahead, and the lead reached 18. Holmgren was the night's best plus/minus at +18.
11/25 vs PHI 123-127 — OKC notes
OKC lost 123-127. OKC took 15 more shots (98 to 83), fed by 13 offensive rebounds, but shot 44% to PHI's 46%, 16 of 43 from three, and got to the line 26 times to PHI's 45. OKC turned it over 4 times to PHI's 12. The glass went 38-49 against them. Holmgren led with 33 (13 of 21, 5 of 11 from three); Gilgeous-Alexander added 31, Joe 13. Q4 was theirs, 41-34, the deficit cut from 11 to 4, but the other 3 periods went 93-82 against them. Wallace's -15 in 14 minutes was the worst on the floor.
11/28 @ MIN 103-106 — OKC notes
OKC lost 103-106. OKC took 12 more shots (90 to 78), but shot 41% to MIN's 42%, 11 of 30 from three, and got to the line 23 times to MIN's 32. OKC turned it over 8 times to MIN's 19. The glass went 36-51 against them. Gilgeous-Alexander led with 32 (13 of 22, 6 of 6 at the line); Holmgren added 16, Jal. Williams 10. Q1 was theirs, 29-19, but the other 3 periods went 87-74 against them. They led by as many as 12. Jal. Williams's -15 in 34 minutes was the worst on the floor.
11/30 vs LAL — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
OKC comes in 3-2 over its last five, scoring 121 a night and allowing 110, shooting 49 percent and 42 from three, 24 free throws a game; Gilgeous-Alexander at 34 and Holmgren at 24 a game. One day's rest. The Lakers come in 3-2 over their last five, scoring 116 a night and allowing 113, shooting 51 percent and 34 from three, 24 free throws a game; Davis at 23 and James at 22 a game. Without Hachimura (3 straight), Vanderbilt (6 straight), Vincent (15 straight). Second night of a back-to-back.
So: OKC wins, and the game turns on the arc, OKC at 42 percent from three to the Lakers' 34 and the turnovers, the Lakers giving it away 14 times a game to OKC's 10. Call it OKC 118, the Lakers 111.
12/02 @ DAL — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Dallas comes in 2-3 over its last five, scoring 104 a night and allowing 112, shooting 41 percent and 31 from three, 21 free throws a game; Dončić at 32 and Irving at 23 a game. It has lost the glass by 9 a night. Without Kleber (10 straight). Second night of a back-to-back. OKC comes in 3-2 over its last five, scoring 122 a night and allowing 107, shooting 49 percent and 41 from three, 25 free throws a game; Gilgeous-Alexander at 33 and Holmgren at 20 a game. One day's rest.
So: OKC wins, on the road, and the game turns on the arc, OKC at 41 percent from three to Dallas's 31 and the glass, where OKC has been plus-0 a night and Dallas minus-9. Call it OKC 117, Dallas 111.
12/06 @ HOU — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Houston comes in 2-3 over its last five, scoring 110 a night and allowing 108, shooting 47 percent and 35 from three, 20 free throws a game; Ja. Green at 21 and Sengun at 21 a game. That is 3 straight losses. Without Thompson (13 straight). 3 days' rest. OKC comes in 3-2 over its last five, scoring 120 a night and allowing 113, shooting 46 percent and 38 from three, 26 free throws a game; Gilgeous-Alexander at 31 and Holmgren at 19 a game. 3 days' rest.
So: OKC wins, on the road, and the game turns on the line, where OKC takes 26 free throws a game to Houston's 20. Call it OKC 113, Houston 112, Houston keeping it close.
12/08 vs GSW — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
OKC comes in 2-3 over its last five, scoring 117 a night and allowing 115, shooting 45 percent and 37 from three, 23 free throws a game; Gilgeous-Alexander at 29 and Jal. Williams at 17 a game. It has lost the glass by 8 a night. One day's rest. Golden State comes in 3-2 over its last five, scoring 117 a night and allowing 114, shooting 47 percent and 39 from three, 28 free throws a game; Curry at 29 and Thompson at 17 a game. Without Jackson-Davis (4 straight), Payton II (3 straight). One day's rest.
So: OKC wins, and the game turns on the glass, where Golden State has been plus-3 a night and OKC minus-8 and the turnovers, Golden State giving it away 16 times a game to OKC's 8. Call it OKC 117, Golden State 113, Golden State keeping it close.
Who is who
the initials in the Players column
OKCAW A. Wiggins
CH C. Holmgren
CW C. Wallace
IJ I. Joe
JG J. Giddey
JW J. Williams
JW Jal. Williams
JW Jay. Williams
KW K. Williams
LD L. Dort
OD O. Dieng
SG S. Gilgeous-Alexander
MINAE A. Edwards
KA K. Anderson
KT K. Towns
MC M. Conley
NA N. Alexander-Walker
NR N. Reid
RG R. Gobert
SM S. Milton
TB T. Brown Jr.
OKC/MIN the team itself, not a player
-- the feed named nobody
What
What happened
the codes in the Events column
M2 / M3 made 2 / made 3
X2 / X3 missed 2 / missed 3
FT / X1 free throw made / missed
AST assist
OR / DR offensive / defensive rebound
STL steal
BLK block
TO turnover
FL foul
OF offensive foul — ends the possession
VIOL violation
JUMP jump ball
TM timeout
IR instant replay
HE heave at the buzzer, filed to the team
END the clock ran out, ball in hand
Where
Where a shot came from
the middle field of M3.LW.25
RM at the rim inside 4 ft
RC right corner
RW right wing
SO straight on
LW left wing
LC left corner
M3.LW.25 made 3, left wing, 25 ft
X2.RM.01 missed 2, at the rim, 1 ft
When
When it happened
the Offset column
one number per event, in the Events order:
whole seconds from the start of the
possession to that event
Events FL X3.RC.23 OR M2.RM.01
Offset 0 18 22 24
the foul opens the possession at 0s;
the putback ends it at 24s, which is
the possession's own Dur
Timberwolves top Thunder 106-103 despite Edwards injury with big all-around game by Gobert
MINNEAPOLIS -- — Rudy Gobert had 17 points, 16 rebounds and four blocks, reserve Troy Brown Jr . scored a season-high 17 points and the Minnesota Timberwolves withstood an injury to Anthony Edwards to beat the Oklahoma City Thunder 106-103 on Tuesday night in the NBA In-Season Tournament.
Edwards had 12 of his 21 points in the third quarter to lead the Wolves (13-4) back after trailing most of the first half, before landing hard during a dunk attempt and leaving the game with a bruised right hip.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 32 points on 13-for-22 shooting for the Thunder. His 37-foot try to tie at the buzzer, his only 3-point attempt of the night, was well off the mark.
Brown made one of two foul shots with 4.5 seconds left to give the Thunder an opening, but the Wolves capped a stifling defensive performance in the second half — fueled by a switch to zone — with one more denial.
“I just think our mindset was much better. I thought we were more physical,” Gobert said.
Brown, in his first year with the Wolves after playing last season with the Los Angeles Lakers , swished a fadeaway 3-pointer from 29 feet for a five-point lead with 1:39 to go. Then he got a layup in traffic to fall with 31.6 seconds left to make it 103-98.
“My biggest thing is bringing energy, starting with defense and rebounding,” Brown said. “If the ball comes to me, that’s what I work out for.”
Chet Holmgren , who went 6 for 20 from the floor for 16 points, hit a 3-pointer with 26.6 seconds left to bring the Thunder back within two. Karl-Anthony Towns , who had 13 points and 10 rebounds, answered with a pair of free throws on the other end.
The Thunder (11-6) had only 42 points in the second half and shot 6 for 26 in the third quarter against a Wolves team that leads the Western Conference with the best 17-game start in franchise history.
“Teams are going to throw different things at you when things are working. To their credit, they went zone,” Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said.
Gobert, the three-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year, was determined not to let the 21-year-old Holmgren — they're both 7-foot-1 — get the best of him.
“He’s a tone-setter for your defense,” Wolves coach Chris Finch said.
Holmgren, who played at Minnehaha Academy High School and Gonzaga, was sidelined for all of last season with a foot injury. The Minneapolis native and second-overall pick in the 2022 draft was playing his first pro game in his hometown.
“It’s good experience that he can calibrate for the next time we play this team,” Daigneault said.
During one possession late in the fourth quarter, Gobert was all over the paint with a long arm in Holmgren's face — twice forcing him into missed shots, including an air-balled jumper from the top of the key. Gobert pumped his fist after each miss with the Timberwolves up 95-90.
“I love when a guy tries to attack me, especially multiple times in a row. And credit to Chet, because he kept going,” Gobert said. “He was being aggressive and pushed me to really move my feet even more.”
The Wolves finished 3-1 in the Western Conference Group C. The Thunder went 1-3. Golden State played at Sacramento later Tuesday to determine the group champion. By only winning by three points, the Wolves were eliminated from contention because point differential serves as the second tiebreaker behind head-to-head results.