Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Scores 38 Points, Lets Game Come To Him Against Timberwolves

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Shai Gilgeous-Alexander expressed his strategy of letting the game flow naturally after leading the Oklahoma City Thunder to a 2-0 lead in the Western Conference finals. The Thunder secured a 118-103 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves in Game 2, with Gilgeous-Alexander scoring 38 points. This performance came a day after he was named the NBA's MVP.

Gilgeous-Alexander's impressive stats included making 12 out of 21 field goals and converting 13 out of 15 free throws. He also contributed eight assists and three steals, matching his playoff career-high in points. Jalen Williams supported with 26 points and 10 rebounds, while Chet Holmgren added 22 points to the Thunder's dominant display.

The MVP award was presented to Gilgeous-Alexander just before the game started on Thursday, which stirred his emotions. "I was a little bit too juiced up," he admitted. "I was like, 'Nah, that's [forcing it] probably not the way to go'. I wanted to just let the game come to me."

He emphasised relying on his teammates and playing collaboratively rather than forcing plays. "Lean on my team-mates, play through them, play off of them. I just didn't want to force the issue," he said. His approach paid off as he could enjoy recent successes fully.

In recent games, Gilgeous-Alexander has scored 58 points over six quarters with a shooting accuracy of 20-of-35. Despite a slow start in Game 1 where he shot only 2-of-13 in the first half, he quickly found his rhythm. Thunder coach Mark Daigneault praised him: "He's just got an unbelievable ability to not be in a groove and get himself there almost instantaneously."

Daigneault highlighted Gilgeous-Alexander's mental resilience and consistency: "You never feel like the next play is going to be a continuation of a lack of rhythm or a couple of misses. You always feel like he's always getting himself going for the next possession."

The series will continue with Game 3 scheduled for Saturday in Minneapolis.