Oklahoma City set the tone for the Western Conference Finals with a 114-88 plundering of the Timberwolves in Game 1. Things weren't quite as easy in Game 2, but the Thunder still beat Minnesota 118-103 behind 38 points from newly-crowned MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.

The story of these NBA playoffs has been the league's newfound and designed parity, and for good reason. The margins in this postseason field have felt virtually nonexistent. Seeds have hardly mattered,

It's Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Oklahoma City Thunder against Anthony Edwards and the Minnesota Timberwolves in Game 2 of the Western Conference finals Thursday night at Paycom Center.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Thunder rise to the occasion, and the reward is facing Anthony Edwards and the Timberwolves in the Western Conference Finals.

The Oklahoma City Thunder took a 2-0 series lead in the Western Conference finals Thursday night, beating the Minnesota Timberwolves 118-103 at home. Fresh off his MVP win, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 36 points, his fifth-straight playoff game scoring more than 30 points.

Goldstein often travels from game to game, often watching different NBA series during the playoffs. See some of his best looks.

Game 2 of the Western Conference Finals between the Timberwolves and Thunder tips off Thursday night at 7:30 PM CT at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City. The game will air on ESPN with Mike Breen, Doris Burke, Richard Jefferson and Lisa Salters on the call.

The NBA fined Minnesota Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards $50,000 on Wednesday night for "using profane language during a media interview" after the team's Game 1 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder in the Western Conference finals.