Game 4 of the Western Conference finals lived up to expectations for those of us who predicted it would be the best and closest game of the Wolves vs. Thunder series to date.
The Wolves clawed back multiple times in the second half to either tie or make it a one-possession game, the last coming after Shai Gilgeous-Alexander missed one free throw with 8.1 seconds left to leave Minnesota down three with the ball.
Time for a game-tying three-point attempt ... only it never happened. The Thunder employed the often smart but yawningly boring strategy of fouling the Wolves. It prevented Minnesota from ever getting a tying shot up, and OKC was able to close out a critical 128-126 victory.
The method is akin to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s proclivity for drawing fouls by seeking out contact: Technically legal but wide open to aesthetic criticism.
I’m not sure what exactly the league can do, and it is true that the strategy can backfire. But it is agreed: That’s a terrible way to end a dramatic, well-played game.
Here are nine more things to know today:
- Anthony Edwards and Julius Randle were outscored 74-21 by SGA and Jalen Williams, an egregious no-show by the Wolves’ two most important players that Jim Souhan wrote about. More than just the output was the sense that both players were so easily knocked off their game by physical play in the first half. Things came far too easy for Ant and Randle in Game 3, and they had no answer for an increase in Game 4 intensity.
- Even with their struggles, though, the Wolves scored 126 points. Role players were huge in picking up the scoring slack, and Minnesota should have had more than enough offense to win the game. But as Chris Hine wrote, a defense that is normally the backbone of the Wolves let them down at a critical moment. They were slow on rotations and indecisive when chasing down rebounds. They were 20-3 when scoring at least 120 points this season before Monday, and their breakdowns were hard to fathom.
- And even given all of that, the Wolves were in a glorious position to win. The Wolves won seven critical statistical battles, a sweep that historically has guaranteed a playoff victory — that is, until Monday.
- Oklahoma City, by the way, is one game away from the NBA finals despite having one of the lowest payrolls in the league while the Wolves are very near the top. Thunder GM Sam Presti has done an impeccable job of player acquisition through the draft, trades and free agency. They’re in good cap shape next season as well and could be on the verge of starting a dynasty.
- Patrick Reusse and I talked about all of these things and more on Tuesday’s Daily Delivery podcast.
- The Frost are the most atypical Minnesota pro sports team I have ever seen. After barely getting into the playoffs for the second straight year, they won their second consecutive PWHL championship on Monday. Every game of the finals was a 2-1 overtime result, with the Frost winning three out of the four over Ottawa. A team that exceeds expectations and comes through in the clutch? What is this sorcery?
- The Twins are hitting a wall offensively and have lost two games in a row. But Byron Buxton and Matt Wallner could soon return to shore up the lineup. Imagining a full strength lineup that includes those players, Royce Lewis, Carlos Correa and eventually Luke Keaschall should be enough to give the Twins optimism.
- The Lynx are 4-0 and looking every bit like the best team in the WNBA (a spot they occupy in ESPN’s latest power rankings). They will be tested in their next two games, though, against Seattle and Phoenix. Both teams are 3-1, with their only losses to each other.
- This is from a few days ago, but I found Andrew Krammer’s look at the Vikings’ spending on undrafted free agents to be quite interesting. They are paying a bunch of guys the equivalent of sixth-round pick money. Are late-round picks irrelevant if you can take your pick of the remaining players after the draft?
