Ahead of two games against the NBA’s top two title favorites — Oklahoma City and Boston — Minnesota Timberwolves wing Jaden McDaniels told Minnesota radio voice Alan Horton on Tuesday morning that the Wolves are “right up there with those teams.” “Our record might not show it,” McDaniels told Horton, “but I feel like we’re one of the best teams.” Tuesday — specifically, the third quarter Tuesday — was a reminder that the Wolves are not, as Minnesota fell 113-105 to the Thunder in Oklahoma City.
The Wolves had proven again over the three-game winning streak they carried into Oklahoma City that they are indeed a good team. A great one, though? Not at the moment. That’s a high standard that only a few teams have achieved to date this season, and Oklahoma City again proved why it’s in that club.
Mike Conley hit a trio of triples in succession to put Minnesota up 12 early in the third stanza. Oklahoma City didn’t so much as call a timeout. The Thunder merely locked in, going on an immediate 10-0 run to force Wolves coach Chris Finch to call time.
But that did little to slow the avalanche. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander sliced through Minnesota’s defense for a pretty finish at the rim at the end of the quarter to put the Thunder up 14. Oklahoma City outscored Minnesota 34-10 over the final 8 minutes, 30 seconds of that third quarter.
The Thunder — who sport the NBA’s best defense — turned up their dial to a 10 on that end of the floor, suffocating Min.
