In the 2023-24 NBA regular season that ended on December 27, the Oklahoma City Thunder defeated the visiting Minnesota Timberwolves 129-106 at home, ending their opponent's two-game winning streak. In this game, Alexander and Holmgren of the Thunder played well and became the key to the team's victory.
As the star of the Thunder, Alexander was efficient and all-round in this game. He hit 14 of 19 shots from the field, a whopping 737%, and contributed a game-high 34 points on 6-of-7 free throws from the free throw line. In addition to scoring, Alexander grabbed six rebounds, dished out nine assists and made two steals. His efficient performance on the offensive end created plenty of scoring opportunities for the Thunder, while also putting opponents under pressure on the defensive end.
Holmgren's performance in this game was equally impressive. He shot 8-of-14 from the offensive end, including 3-of-6 from three-point range, for an efficient 20-point campaign. What's more worth mentioning is that Holmgren also showed strong strength on the defensive end, contributing 4 rebounds and 5 assists in the game, as well as many wonderful blocks and steals. He hit back-to-back key three-pointers in the third quarter to help the team stabilize their position and pull away the score, becoming another major contributor to the Thunder's victory.
At the beginning of the first quarter of the game, the two sides launched a fierce attack. The Timberwolves clung to the score under the leadership of Towns and Edwards, but the Thunder gradually widened the gap with Alexander's consistent output and Holmgren's excellent play. By the second quarter, the Timberwolves' offensive efficiency had dropped, while the Thunder seized the opportunity to play a wave to extend the lead to double digits.
In the second half, the Timberwolves tried to launch a counterattack, but Holmgren's scoring back-to-back and Alexander's unsolvable mid-range shot made their comeback useless. The final quarter of the game became the performance time of the Thunder, and the score difference was once stretched to more than 20 points, and the game lost suspense early.
Statistically, the Timberwolves have a slight advantage in rebounds (41-37) and assists (26-24), but are in shooting percentage (43.).5%-55.6%) and 3-point shooting percentage (36.).8%-50%), which is significantly lower than that of the Thunder. In addition, the Timberwolves have a whopping 19 turnovers, which also gives the Thunder a lot of opportunities to switch offense.
The excellent play of Alexander and Holmgren was the key to the Thunder's victory. Not only did Alexander score efficiently, but he also showed a well-rounded ability to organise offense and defenseHolmgren, on the other hand, was impressive on both ends of the floor, with his points, rebounds and assists all contributing to the team's victory.
In this game, the excellent play of Alexander and Holmgren helped the Thunder beat the Timberwolves and ended the opponent's winning streak. Their efficient performance on the offensive end and solid performance on the defensive end became the cornerstone of the team's victory. This game also once again proved the importance of strength and teamwork in the NBA. For the Timberwolves, they need to adjust their form as soon as possible to meet the challenges of the next game;The Thunder, on the other hand, can continue this good momentum and attack higher rankings.