BBNBA: Gilgeous-Alexander plays like an MVP in Game 2 win

Fresh off his MVP coronation, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander played like the best player in the NBA in the Thunder’s Game 2 win over the Timberwolves. SGA poured in 38 points in the 118-103 win while dishing out eight assists and coming away with three steals. His 69 combined points in these last two games are the most by a player in his first two career Conference Finals games since Carmelo Anthony in 2009.

Much has been made about Gilgeous-Alexander’s uncanny ability to draw shooting fouls, or his unfair penchant for baiting refs into calling fouls, depending on your point of view. Shai scored 12 of his 38 points from the charity stripe, out of 15 attempts.

Wolves’ defensive specialist, Jaden McDaniels, who was the victim of multiple foul calls on the MVP, got so fed up at one point that he gave Gilgeous-Alexander a two-handed shove to the ground, earning himself a technical. Clearly, Shai is all up in Minnesota’s head.

Jaden McDaniels shoves Shai Gilgeous-Alexander pic.twitter.com/rSeG10BY8Y

— Timberwolves Clips (@WolvesClips) May 23, 2025

OKC’s defensive specialist, Cason Wallace, has been a menace in his own right. Wallace knocked down a pair of 3s on his way to eight points, four assists, three rebounds, a block, and a steal. He also had yet another highlight spawned from a breakaway, throwing an alley-oop to Chet Holmgren. It was part of a 35-21 third quarter where the Thunder pulled away and never really looked back.

Cason Wallace : 8 points on 3-7 shooting, 2-6 from 3 & 4 assists in 28 minutes off the bench pic.twitter.com/9FYsg7H3at

— Lee Harvey (@MusikFan4Life) May 23, 2025

Julius Randle did not play like an MVP

Julius Randle has been on an absolute tear in these playoffs right up until Game 2 of the Western Conference Finals. Randle put up a stinker on Thursday night, totaling just six points on 2-11 shooting, his second-lowest scoring night all season long. He had double the amount of turnovers as he did field goals, and it got so bad that he didn’t play in the 4th quarter.

Afterwards, Randle broke down where he fell short: “I think, for the most part, [I was] standing around spectating too much. I gotta keep myself in action and on the move.”

Sometimes, though, you just run up against a good team, and that is what Oklahoma City is. This marked their 78th win this season (including the playoffs) and, incredibly, 60 of those wins have been by 10 or more points. They currently hold a +14.1 point differential in the postseason, good for second-best in NBA history.

Now down 0-2, all Minnesota can do is tip their headbands and get ready for Game 3 at home on Saturday.

BBNBA Stats for 5/22/2025

Player	Score	PTS	FG (3PT)	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	P/M	MIN
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (OKC)	118-103 W vs. MIN	38	12-21 (1-2)	3	8	3	0	1	+25	36
Cason Wallace (OKC)	118-103 W vs. MIN	8	3-7 (2-6)	3	4	1	1	0	+10	28
Julius Randle (MIN)	103-118 L @ OKC	6	2-11 (0-3)	5	5	1	0	4	-15	32
Rob Dillingham (MIN)	103-118 L @ OKC	DNP-CD

Tonight in the NBA Playoffs

Eastern Conference Finals | Game 2 | IND leads 1-0
8:00 (TNT) | Knicks (Towns) @ Pacers (Jackson: out)