Game ID: 22500385
Oklahoma City Thunder @ Minnesota Timberwolves
Friday, December 19, 2025 at 9:30 PM ET
Target Center, Minneapolis, MN
Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Final
MIN 23 25 35 29 112OKC 33 18 34 22 107
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 12/08 · 1 day's restOUT Hyland missed 3 since 12/02, returns tonight: 16 min (99% of 16)
MIN availability going into 12/12 · 3 days' restBACK Hyland back 11/30 after 4, 9 min since (54% of 16)
MIN availability going into 12/14 · 1 day's restBACK Hyland back 12/08 after 3, 10 min since (64% of 16)
MIN availability going into 12/17 · 2 days' restOUT Edwards missed 2 since 12/12, out tonight
OUT Conley missed 2 since 12/12, out tonight
BACK Hyland back 12/08 after 3, 19 min since (117% of 16)
MIN availability going into 12/19 · 1 day's restOUT Edwards missed 3 since 12/12, returns tonight: 41 min (118% of 35)
OUT Conley missed 3 since 12/12, out tonight
BACK Hyland back 12/08 after 3, 23 min since (141% of 16)
NEW McDaniels 32 to 37 min over the last 5
MIN availability going into 12/21 · 1 day's restOUT Conley missed 4 since 12/12, returns tonight: 24 min (136% of 18)
BACK Edwards back 12/19 after 3, 41 min since (118% of 35)
BACK Hyland back 12/08 after 3, 21 min since (133% of 16)
NEW McDaniels 32 to 37 min over the last 5
MIN availability going into 12/23 · 1 day's restBACK Edwards back 12/19 after 3, 39 min since (112% of 35)
BACK Conley back 12/21 after 4, 24 min since (136% of 18)
NEW Hyland 16 to 22 min over the last 5
MIN availability going into 12/25 · 1 day's restBACK Edwards back 12/19 after 3, 38 min since (110% of 35)
BACK Conley back 12/21 after 4, 27 min since (152% of 18)
NEW Hyland 16 to 26 min over the last 5
MIN availability going into 12/27 · 1 day's restBACK Edwards back 12/19 after 3, 39 min since (113% of 35)
BACK Conley back 12/21 after 4, 21 min since (120% of 18)
NEW Hyland 16 to 23 min over the last 5
OKC availability going into 12/07 · 1 day's restOUT Dort missed 2 since 12/02, out tonight
OUT Hartenstein missed 4 since 11/28, out tonight
OUT Caruso missed 3 since 11/30, out tonight
BACK Wiggins back 11/30 after 11, 21 min since (107% of 19)
BACK Carlson back 12/02 after 3, 12 min since (105% of 12)
BACK Dieng back 12/05 after 4, 22 min since (197% of 11)
OKC availability going into 12/10 · 2 days' restOUT Dort missed 3 since 12/02, returns tonight: 22 min (83% of 26)
OUT Hartenstein missed 5 since 11/28, out tonight
OUT Joe missed 2 since 12/05, out tonight
OUT Caruso missed 4 since 11/30, returns tonight: 13 min (66% of 19)
BACK Wiggins back 11/30 after 11, 20 min since (106% of 19)
BACK Carlson back 12/02 after 3, 16 min since (140% of 12)
BACK Dieng back 12/05 after 4, 24 min since (217% of 11)
OKC availability going into 12/13
OUT Hartenstein missed 6 since 11/28, tonight's box is missing
OUT Joe missed 3 since 12/05, tonight's box is missing
BACK Dort back 12/10 after 3, 22 min since (83% of 26)
BACK Caruso back 12/10 after 4, 13 min since (66% of 19)
BACK Wiggins back 11/30 after 11, 21 min since (108% of 19)
BACK Carlson back 12/02 after 3, 15 min since (131% of 12)
BACK Dieng back 12/05 after 4, 20 min since (182% of 11)
OKC availability going into 12/18 · 4 days' restOUT Hartenstein missed 6 since 11/28, out tonight
OUT Joe missed 3 since 12/05, returns tonight: 22 min (113% of 20)
BACK Dort back 12/10 after 3, 22 min since (83% of 26)
BACK Caruso back 12/10 after 4, 13 min since (66% of 19)
BACK Carlson back 12/02 after 3, 15 min since (131% of 12)
BACK Dieng back 12/05 after 4, 20 min since (182% of 11)
NEW K. Williams 14 to 20 min over the last 4
OKC availability going into 12/19 · back-to-backOUT Hartenstein missed 7 since 11/28, returns tonight: 28 min (114% of 24)
BACK Dort back 12/10 after 3, 20 min since (77% of 26)
BACK Joe back 12/18 after 3, 22 min since (113% of 20)
BACK Caruso back 12/10 after 4, 14 min since (73% of 19)
BACK Dieng back 12/05 after 4, 20 min since (182% of 11)
NEW K. Williams 14 to 20 min over the last 3
NEW Carlson 12 to 18 min over the last 4
OKC availability going into 12/22 · 2 days' restOUT J. Williams missed 2 since 12/18, out tonight
OUT Dieng missed 2 since 12/18, out tonight
BACK Dort back 12/10 after 3, 23 min since (88% of 26)
BACK Hartenstein back 12/19 after 7, 28 min since (114% of 24)
BACK Joe back 12/18 after 3, 18 min since (89% of 20)
BACK Caruso back 12/10 after 4, 17 min since (88% of 19)
NEW Carlson 12 to 17 min over the last 3
OKC availability going into 12/23 · back-to-backOUT Wiggins missed 2 since 12/19, returns tonight: 11 min (58% of 19)
OUT J. Williams missed 3 since 12/18, out tonight
OUT Dieng missed 3 since 12/18, out tonight
BACK Dort back 12/10 after 3, 25 min since (95% of 26)
BACK Hartenstein back 12/19 after 7, 28 min since (114% of 24)
BACK Joe back 12/18 after 3, 18 min since (93% of 20)
BACK Caruso back 12/10 after 4, 17 min since (88% of 19)
NEW Carlson 12 to 18 min over the last 3
OKC availability going into 12/25 · 1 day's restOUT J. Williams missed 4 since 12/18, out tonight
OUT Dieng missed 4 since 12/18, out tonight
BACK Hartenstein back 12/19 after 7, 27 min since (110% of 24)
BACK Joe back 12/18 after 3, 18 min since (90% of 20)
BACK Wiggins back 12/23 after 2, 11 min since (58% of 19)
OKC availability going into 12/28 · 2 days' restOUT Mitchell missed 2 since 12/23, returns tonight: 20 min (76% of 26)
OUT J. Williams missed 5 since 12/18, out tonight
OUT Dieng missed 5 since 12/18, out tonight
BACK Hartenstein back 12/19 after 7, 26 min since (106% of 24)
BACK Joe back 12/18 after 3, 17 min since (87% of 20)
BACK Wiggins back 12/23 after 2, 13 min since (66% of 19)
I Know — the desk, before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Minnesota comes in 3-2 over its last five, scoring 114 a night and allowing 111, shooting 47 percent and 32 from three, 28 free throws a game; Randle at 23 and McDaniels at 16 a game. Without Edwards (3 straight), Conley (3 straight). One day's rest. OKC comes in 5-0 over its last five, scoring 129 a night and allowing 103, shooting 55 percent and 46 from three, 20 free throws a game; Gilgeous-Alexander at 33 and Holmgren at 21 a game. That is 5 straight wins. Without Hartenstein (7 straight). Second night of a back-to-back.
So: OKC wins, on the road, and the game turns on the arc, OKC at 46 percent from three to Minnesota's 32 and the line, where Minnesota takes 28 free throws a game to OKC's 20. Call it OKC 117, Minnesota 112.
12/08 vs PHX 105-108 — MIN notes
MIN lost 105-108. MIN shot 47% (39 of 83) to PHX's 46%, 11 of 42 from three. Edwards led with 40 (15 of 21, 3 of 7 from three, 7 of 9 at the line); Randle added 21, Gobert 15. Q3 was theirs, 27-23, the deficit cut from 4 to 0, but the other 3 periods went 85-78 against them. DiVincenzo's -9 in 27 minutes was the worst on the floor.
12/12 @ GSW 127-120 — MIN notes
MIN won 127-120. MIN shot 54% (48 of 89) to GSW's 46%, 11 of 31 from three, and went to the line 28 times to GSW's 22 — 20 points from the stripe to their 17. Randle led with 27 (7 of 14, 2 of 6 from three, 11 of 12 at the line); Gobert added 24, DiVincenzo 21. The hinge was Q4, 39-29: MIN came in trailing by 3 and left it ahead by 7. MIN trailed 61-63 at the half and won the second half 66-57. DiVincenzo was the night's best plus/minus at +16.
12/14 vs SAC 117-103 — MIN notes
MIN won 117-103. MIN shot 46% (43 of 94) to SAC's 46%, 12 of 37 from three. The glass went 48-36 for them. Randle led with 24 (9 of 21, 2 of 6 from three, 4 of 6 at the line); McDaniels added 21, Reid 20. The hinge was Q4, 29-19: a lead of 4 became 14. MIN trailed 51-52 at the half and won the second half 66-51. McDaniels was the night's best plus/minus at +18.
12/17 vs MEM 110-116 — MIN notes
MIN lost 110-116. MIN shot 40% (39 of 98) to MEM's 44%, 13 of 44 from three. Randle led with 21 (9 of 21, 1 of 6 from three); DiVincenzo added 19, Gobert 16. Q2 was theirs, 35-32, turning a 2-point deficit into a 1-point lead, but the other 3 periods went 84-75 against them.
12/19 vs OKC 112-107 — MIN notes
MIN won 112-107. MIN shot 38% (33 of 88) to OKC's 37%, 13 of 37 from three, and went to the line 47 times to OKC's 30 — 33 points from the stripe to their 28. Edwards led with 26 (9 of 20, 3 of 6 from three, 5 of 6 at the line); Randle added 19, DiVincenzo 15. The hinge was Q2, 25-18: the deficit went from 10 to 3. MIN trailed 48-51 at the half and won the second half 64-56. DiVincenzo was the night's best plus/minus at +12.
12/21 vs MIL — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Minnesota comes in 3-2 over its last five, scoring 114 a night and allowing 111, shooting 45 percent and 31 from three, 30 free throws a game; Randle at 22 and DiVincenzo at 15 a game. It has won the glass by 4 a night. Without Conley (4 straight). One day's rest. Milwaukee comes in 1-4 over its last five, scoring 103 a night and allowing 116, shooting 47 percent and 37 from three, 21 free throws a game; Porter Jr. at 19 and Kuzma at 18 a game. It has lost the glass by 7 a night. Without Gia. Antetokounmpo (5 straight), Prince (20 straight). 2 days' rest.
So: Minnesota wins, and the game turns on the glass, where Minnesota has been plus-4 a night and Milwaukee minus-7 and the line, where Minnesota takes 30 free throws a game to Milwaukee's 21. Call it Minnesota 117, Milwaukee 109.
12/23 vs NYK — 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 114 a night and allowing 109, shooting 44 percent and 32 from three, 30 free throws a game; Randle at 21 and DiVincenzo at 18 a game. One day's rest. New York comes in 4-1 over its last five, scoring 115 a night and allowing 111, shooting 48 percent and 39 from three, 23 free throws a game; Brunson at 32 and Bridges at 19 a game. It has won the glass by 4 a night. Without McBride (4 straight), Shamet (12 straight). One day's rest.
So: Minnesota wins, and the game turns on the arc, New York at 39 percent from three to Minnesota's 32 and the line, where Minnesota takes 30 free throws a game to New York's 23. Call it Minnesota 115, New York 113, New York keeping it close.
12/25 @ DEN — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Denver comes in 3-2 over its last five, scoring 124 a night and allowing 120, shooting 51 percent and 44 from three, 21 free throws a game; Murray at 28 and Jokić at 26 a game. It has lost the glass by 4 a night. Without Braun (18 straight), Gordon (14 straight). One day's rest. Minnesota comes in 4-1 over its last five, scoring 111 a night and allowing 106, shooting 42 percent and 32 from three, 29 free throws a game; Edwards at 29 and Randle at 20 a game. That is 3 straight wins. One day's rest.
So: Denver wins, and the game turns on the arc, Denver at 44 percent from three to Minnesota's 32 and the defense, Minnesota allowing 106 a night to Denver's 120. Call it Denver 117, Minnesota 115, Minnesota keeping it close.
12/27 vs BKN — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Minnesota comes in 3-2 over its last five, scoring 116 a night and allowing 114, shooting 43 percent and 31 from three, 30 free throws a game; Edwards at 33 and Randle at 22 a game. One day's rest. Brooklyn comes in 3-2 over its last five, scoring 109 a night and allowing 99, shooting 45 percent and 37 from three, 20 free throws a game; Porter Jr. at 25 and Dëmin at 14 a game. Without Thomas (20 straight), Powell (2 straight), Saraf (5 straight). 3 days' rest.
So: Minnesota wins, and the game turns on the defense, Brooklyn allowing 99 a night to Minnesota's 114 and the line, where Minnesota takes 30 free throws a game to Brooklyn's 20. Call it Minnesota 113, Brooklyn 109, Brooklyn keeping it close.
12/07 @ UTA 131-101 — OKC notes
OKC won 131-101. OKC shot 58% (51 of 88) to UTA's 47%, 21 of 42 from three, and went to the line 18 times to UTA's 12 — 8 points from the stripe to their 9. Jal. Williams led with 25 (11 of 19, 1 of 3 from three); Holmgren added 25, Wiggins 19. The hinge was Q1, 45-20: from level to 25 ahead, and the lead reached 42. Mitchell was the night's best plus/minus at +32.
12/10 vs PHX 138-89 — OKC notes
OKC won 138-89. OKC shot 59% (52 of 88) to PHX's 39%, 22 of 40 from three. OKC turned it over 14 times to PHX's 20. Gilgeous-Alexander led with 28 (11 of 15, 3 of 4 from three); Holmgren added 24, Jal. Williams 15. The hinge was Q1, 38-23: from level to 15 ahead, and the lead reached 53. Gilgeous-Alexander was the night's best plus/minus at +43.
12/18 vs LAC 122-101 — OKC notes
OKC won 122-101. OKC shot 48% (48 of 101) to LAC's 49%, 13 of 36 from three, and got to the line 16 times to LAC's 22. OKC turned it over 8 times to LAC's 28. The glass went 38-49 against them. Gilgeous-Alexander led with 32 (13 of 24, 2 of 6 from three, 4 of 6 at the line); Holmgren added 22, Williams 20. The hinge was Q2, 37-22: OKC came in trailing by 6 and left it ahead by 9, and the lead reached 25. Caruso was the night's best plus/minus at +26.
12/19 @ MIN 107-112 — OKC notes
OKC lost 107-112. OKC shot 37% (34 of 92) to MIN's 38%, 11 of 39 from three, and got to the line 30 times to MIN's 47. Gilgeous-Alexander led with 35 (12 of 26, 3 of 7 from three, 8 of 8 at the line); J. Williams added 17, Holmgren 14. Q1 was theirs, 33-23, but the other 3 periods went 89-74 against them. They led by as many as 12. J. Williams's -9 in 32 minutes was the worst on the floor.
12/22 vs MEM — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
OKC comes in 4-1 over its last five, scoring 126 a night and allowing 103, shooting 51 percent and 42 from three, 21 free throws a game; Gilgeous-Alexander at 32 and Holmgren at 20 a game. Without J. Williams (2 straight). 2 days' rest. Memphis comes in 3-2 over its last five, scoring 121 a night and allowing 114, shooting 46 percent and 37 from three, 25 free throws a game; Jackson Jr. at 20 and Spencer at 20 a game. Without Morant (2 straight), Edey (4 straight), Jackson (11 straight). One day's rest.
So: OKC wins, and the game turns on the defense, OKC allowing 103 a night to Memphis's 114 and the turnovers, Memphis giving it away 15 times a game to OKC's 10. Call it OKC 121, Memphis 110, OKC by 11.
12/23 @ SAS — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
San Antonio comes in 5-0 over its last five, scoring 127 a night and allowing 111, shooting 49 percent and 39 from three, 26 free throws a game; Castle at 20 and Wembanyama at 18 a game. That is 5 straight wins. It has won the glass by 11 a night. One day's rest. OKC comes in 4-1 over its last five, scoring 123 a night and allowing 101, shooting 50 percent and 42 from three, 18 free throws a game; Gilgeous-Alexander at 32 and Holmgren at 21 a game. Without Wiggins (2 straight), J. Williams (3 straight). Second night of a back-to-back.
So: San Antonio wins, and the game turns on the glass, where San Antonio has been plus-11 a night and OKC minus-1 and the defense, OKC allowing 101 a night to San Antonio's 111. Call it San Antonio 117, OKC 116, OKC keeping it close.
12/25 vs SAS — 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 119 a night and allowing 107, shooting 49 percent and 40 from three, 16 free throws a game; Gilgeous-Alexander at 32 and Jal. Williams at 19 a game. Without J. Williams (4 straight). One day's rest. San Antonio comes in 5-0 over its last five, scoring 126 a night and allowing 107, shooting 50 percent and 38 from three, 26 free throws a game; Castle at 21 and Wembanyama at 17 a game. That is 5 straight wins. It has won the glass by 9 a night. One day's rest.
So: OKC wins, and the game turns on the glass, where San Antonio has been plus-9 a night and OKC minus-2 and the line, where San Antonio takes 26 free throws a game to OKC's 16. Call it OKC 117, San Antonio 114, San Antonio keeping it close.
12/28 vs PHI — 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 112 a night and allowing 113, shooting 45 percent and 33 from three, 18 free throws a game; Gilgeous-Alexander at 31 and Jal. Williams at 18 a game. Without Mitchell (2 straight), J. Williams (5 straight). 2 days' rest. Philadelphia comes in 2-3 over its last five, scoring 112 a night and allowing 113, shooting 41 percent and 34 from three, 28 free throws a game; Maxey at 27 and Embiid at 27 a game. It has lost the glass by 5 a night. Without Oubre Jr. (17 straight), Watford (12 straight). One day's rest.
So: OKC wins, and the game turns on the line, where Philadelphia takes 28 free throws a game to OKC's 18. Call it OKC 117, Philadelphia 110.
Who is who
the initials in the Players column
MINAE A. Edwards
BH B. Hyland
DD D. DiVincenzo
JM J. McDaniels
JR J. Randle
NR N. Reid
RD R. Dillingham
RG R. Gobert
TS T. Shannon Jr.
OKCAC A. Caruso
AM A. Mitchell
CH C. Holmgren
CW C. Wallace
IH I. Hartenstein
IJ I. Joe
JW J. Williams
KW K. Williams
LD L. Dort
SG S. Gilgeous-Alexander
MIN/OKC 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 hand the Thunder their 3rd loss, 112-107, after Edwards takes over down the stretch
MINNEAPOLIS -- — Anthony Edwards returned from a three-game injury absence with 26 points and 12 rebounds, hitting the go-ahead 3-pointer with 38.5 seconds left to lead the Minnesota Timberwolves past the Oklahoma City Thunder 112-107 on Friday night.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had 35 points and seven assists for the Thunder (25-3), who lost for the second time in three games after starting 24-1 on the heels of their NBA championship last season.
Julius Randle had 19 points on just 3-for-15 shooting, but his missed free throw after a make with 53 seconds remaining allowed the Wolves to keep the ball down by two and set up Edwards for his clutch shot.
Edwards, who's been managing soreness in his right foot, then grabbed a defensive rebound to set up two free throws by Randle and stole the ball from Gilgeous-Alexander on the ensuing possession to seal the victory.
Donte DiVincenzo and Naz Reid each scored 15 points and Rudy Gobert had 14 rebounds for the Wolves (18-10), who lost in five games to the Thunder in the Western Conference finals last spring.
With the beginning of the holiday break, a national broadcast and the defending champion Thunder in town, the atmosphere at Target Center was especially revved up — and so was Timberwolves coach Chris Finch. He was ejected midway through the first quarter after some non-calls he argued were fouls on the Thunder, restrained by his assistants and team security as he continued his vehement complaints at the officiating crew.
The first half was a particularly rough time for both rims, with the Wolves shooting 34% from the floor and the Thunder at just 39%. Even free throws were a game-long problem for the Wolves, making just 33 of a season-high 47 attempts.