The normally on-a-string, fight-through-screens, pesky, handsy, relentlessly-annoying, all-hustle, never-die Thunder got beat at its own game.  Smacked by the Timberwolves 143-101 in a must-win for Minnesota.

Gilgeous-Alexander noted that a similar thing had occurred early in the playoffs against Memphis. In Game 3 of that series, the Thunder overcame a sluggish start (they trailed 40-29 after the opening quarter) and rallied to win the game. The Thunder were unable to recover from their slow start this time.

Minnesota led by 19 after the first frame, 31 at halftime and was never threatened by the top-seeded Thunder. Oklahoma City coach Mark Daigneault waved the white flag and removed the majority of his key players with minutes remaining in the third quarter. Truthfully, he could’ve done so far sooner.