It was a rough night for the Minnesota Timberwolves as they dropped Game 1 to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Oklahoma City Thunder. The 114-88 blowout loss opened the Western Conference finals on a tough note for the underdogs.
Anthony Edwards and Julius Randle tried to cut through OKC’s defensive schemes, but the Thunder shut them down. Despite the 30-point loss, the two were seen sharing a laugh at the postgame press conference.
Anthony Edwards and Julius Randle Have Their Spirits Intact
During the postgame presser, the Timberwolves duo — who combined for 45 points on 14-of-26 shooting — didn’t seem too down. They sat side by side, glancing at what looked like a printed box score, then started laughing.
Fans online guessed they were reacting to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s free-throw numbers on the stat sheet. Here’s the moment:
Anthony Edwards and Julius Randle laughing at the box score. 🤣
(h/t @ohnohedidnt24)
— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral)
Fans on X (formerly Twitter) had plenty to say. One posted, “Laughing at the free throw merchant SGA.”
Another added, “They’re obviously laughing at the fact that SGA had 14 FTs. Check where Ant pointed and check the box score arrangement in NBA dot com to verify.”
One fan took it a step further, posting a meme-worthy photo of SGA with the caption: “WE KNOW WHY THEY’RE LAUGHING,” followed by two laughing emojis.
Shai shot 11-of-14 from the line on Tuesday. He’s known for drawing fouls effectively, averaging 9.2 free-throw attempts per game this postseason — fourth-highest in the league. He also ranked third during the regular season with 8.8 attempts per game.
OKC shot 26 free throws compared to Minnesota’s 21, converting 15. That’s five more trips to the line — and it may not be the last time we see this gap, given SGA’s track record.
Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Minnesota Timberwolves: What Went Down
SGA and the Thunder were locked in defensively from the jump. They took control, kept their foot on the gas, and made it look easy at times.
The young team played sharp, forcing turnovers, crashing the glass, and finding chances to push the pace. Their execution on both ends kept Minnesota from finding a rhythm.
MORE: Edwards Makes Young Fan’s Day
SGA had a slow start, going just 2-of-13 in the first half, but eventually found his stride. Randle finished with 28 points — 20 of them coming before halftime — but gave the ball away five times.
Edwards added 18 points, including five in the second half. He also took a hard fall and appeared to injure his ankle, grabbing his foot in pain before slowly getting up.
The Timberwolves shot just 34.3% from the field, while OKC shot 46.4%. Game 2 is set for Thursday in Oklahoma City.
