The Oklahoma City Thunder continue to trust their process versus the Minnesota Timberwolves, using their defensive toughness and offensive efficiency to grind down their opponent in the 2025 Western Conference Finals.

MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the way with 38 points and eight assists, Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren combined to form a potent secondary punch and the squad as a whole held its opponent to under 42 percent shooting on their way to a 118-103 Game 2 victory. OKC is decisively winning the turnover battle (14-8 on Thursday) and continues to thrive in transition. Simply put, the No. 1 seed is resuming its dominant form following a tense series versus the Denver Nuggets in the previous round of the playoffs.

The Thunder's 2-0 lead over the Wolves feels overwhelming right now. However, as head coach Mark Daigneault is careful to mention, the complexion of this conference finals could dramatically change once the action shifts to the ravenous Target Center.

“We have to be ready for them to go to another level as they go back home,” Daigneault said at the postgame press conference, per the Daily Thunder's Brandon Rahbar. The 2024 NBA Coach of the Year is essentially saying that Oklahoma City merely did what it was supposed to in Games 1 and 2. The pressure will be on this young squad to step on the Timberwolves' neck on Saturday night.

OKC knows that Julius Randle is unlikely to struggle as much he did on Thursday — six points on 2-of-11 shooting, four turnovers and was benched for the entire fourth quarter. Veteran point guard Mike Conley Jr. is a potential difference-maker in his own right. There is also a chance HC Chris Finch and company figure out how to more effectively defend the low-paint area, which has been another glaring issue in this series. Of course, attention must stay fixed on Minnesota's superstar.

Anthony Edwards scored 32 points on solid 46.2 percent shooting but was only 1-of-9 from 3-point range. He should be extremely motivated to produce a true masterpiece in a must-win matchup in Game 3. Mark Daigneault praised his poise earlier in the week and will work hard to devise a plan that centers around breaking it moving forward. Though, even if Edwards shines, the Thunder can survive by playing their balanced style of basketball.

They carried themselves like the best team in the NBA for most of the regular season, and after some hiccups against the Nuggets, they are seemingly reclaiming that title for the latter stages of these playoffs. Like Daigneault said, though, the Timberwolves will bite back. How Oklahoma City responds to that presumed burst should illustrate just how great this team is.