Minnesota was on the road Tuesday night to face the Thunder in Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals. OKC was down 48-44 at halftime, but the Thunder went on a 10-0 run to start the second half.
They never looked back and won the game 114-88. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the team offensively with 31 points in Game 1. However, SG Jalen Williams quietly dominated for OKC. According to the NBA, he is the second player in Thunder franchise history with 15+ points, 5+ rebounds, 5+ assists, & 5+ steals in a playoff game. He joins Russell Westbrook, who accomplished that four times.
Thunder’s Jalen Williams did his best Russell Westbrook impression with a dominant stat line in Game 1
Jalen Williams becomes the 2nd player in OKC franchise history to record 15+ PTS, 5+ REB, 5+ AST, & 5+ STL in a playoff game 🔥
The other?
Russell Westbrook (4x) https://t.co/lhkjbxhrFI pic.twitter.com/zwSQTEcF9Y
— NBA (@NBA) May 21, 2025
With the 12th pick in the 2022 NBA draft, the OKC Thunder drafted Jalen Williams out of Santa Clara. He’s played in 215 regular-season games for the Thunder and has 202 starts. He’s been a full-time starter the last two seasons for Oklahoma City. In 2024-25, Williams took a step forward in his progression. Williams averaged a career-high 21.6 points, 5.3 rebounds, 5.1 assists, and 1.6 steals per game. The 24-year-old was named a first-time all-star in 2024-25.
Through 12 playoff games in 2025, Williams is a key contributor for the Oklahoma City Thunder. In Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals, Williams had a dominant stat line. He finished the game with 19 points, eight rebounds, five assists, and five steals. The former first-round pick is the first OKC player 15+ PTS, 5+ REB, 5+ AST, & 5+ STL in a playoff game since Russell Westbrook. Jalen Williams had zero turnovers against Minnesota on Tuesday.
Williams’ presence was felt on the defensive end in Game 1. He finished with a game-high five steals. The 24-year-old was jumping passing lanes all game, and that resulted in turnovers for the Timberwolves. Williams’ steals changed the momentum of the game for OKC, and they routed Minnesota in the second half. The final score was 114-88, and the Thunder are up 1-0.
