Gripes with officiating began early in Tuesday’s Game 1 Western Conference finals clash between the Minnesota Timberwolves and Oklahoma City Thunder. A first-quarter technical foul on Timberwolves superstar shooting guard Anthony Edwards agitated NBA fans, with many questioning the league’s toughness.
Game 1 began with a flurry of free throws. Thunder superstar guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander garnered seven trips to the charity stripe in the first four and a half minutes. One of his free-throw attempts came on a technical foul, as Edwards appeared fed up with the MVP frontrunner’s knack for foul-drawing.
With 8:07 left in the opening frame, Edwards tossed the ball at Gilgeous-Alexander, who was sprawled out on the ground following a whistle. While the three-time All-Star’s throw wasn’t demonstrative, the officials didn’t hesitate to assess him with what many deemed a questionable technical foul.
NBA Fans Blast Early Game 1 West Finals Officiating Against Anthony Edwards
Following Edwards’ early penalty, fans on X slammed the referees, with several asserting that the NBA has gone soft.
“It’s gonna be a long series,” one fan said.
It’s gonna be a long series
— America’s Hulk (@AmericasHulk)
“Soft league,” another wrote.
Soft league 😂
— Ghost (@Crypt_Gh0st)
“Games gotten so soft but ANT has got to know better,” one commented.
Games gotten so soft but ANT has got to know better.
— Footwork Factory Basketball Academy (@FFBAcademy1)
Meanwhile, others took aim at Gilgeous-Alexander for foul-baiting.
“Shai, [Jalen] Brunson, and [Donovan] Mitchell are the FT merchants of the league,” one fan remarked.
Shai, Brunson, and Mitchell are the FT merchants of the league.
— OG (@ogjrichx)
“Shai already flopping,” another claimed.
Shai already flopping 👀 pic.twitter.com/bwYQLFHFe0
— HeroOfTheDay (@Hero_OfThe_Day)
“Sga liking the floor today,” one more quipped.
Gilgeous-Alexander Gets Called Out on Air, Responds With Strong Second Half
Amid his early free-throw shooting spree, Gilgeous-Alexander received pushback from the ESPN broadcast crew.
Mike Breen noted that the Thunder superstar was already up to seven free-throw attempts with 7:38 left in the first quarter. Breen’s broadcast partner, Doris Burke, then cited online criticisms about the three-time All-Star’s frequent foul-hunting.
“There’s a reason NBA Twitter likes to call him the free-throw merchant, Mike,” Burke quipped.
After an abysmal first half, in which he recorded 11 points on just 2-for-13 shooting (15.4%), Gilgeous-Alexander bounced back.
He tallied 20 of his game-high 31 points in the second half on 8-for-14 shooting (57.1%), only attempting five free throws. Gilgeous-Alexander drastically outperformed Edwards, who finished the evening with 18 points on 5-for-13 shooting (38.5%).
Meanwhile, after trailing 48-44 at halftime, OKC outscored Minnesota 70-40 in the second half, securing a 114-88 blowout home victory.
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Afterward, Gilgeous-Alexander reflected on staying locked in despite his early offensive woes. “I didn’t particularly change my mindset, honestly,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “I just tried to continue to be aggressive, trust my work.”
The Thunder will look to take an imposing 2-0 series lead during Thursday’s Game 2 tilt at Paycom Center.
