By James Mario Ajero
A historic breakthrough awaits whoever emerges victorious between Oklahoma City Thunder and Minnesota Timberwolves in the Western Conference Finals of the National Basketball Association.
As old NBA superstars retreat to the limelight after their respective teams’ exit in the playoffs, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Anthony Edwards can claim the mantle and become the league’s new future stars.
OKC Thunder
Oklahoma City’s meteoric rise in the NBA is not a surprise to many with numerous pundits and fans predicting the team’s eventual supremacy in the Western portion of the league.
Boasting a win-loss rating of 63-13 (.829), the Thunder were the youngest NBA squad to ever record a 60-win game season, an impressive feat for a team that has not reached the finals since 2012.
The Thunder’s seven-game demolition of the Denver Nuggets in the second round also confirmed an already widely held belief: OKC is a true championship contender.
The hard-earned win against the 2023 NBA champions is also credited to Shai’s exquisite basketball prowess, leading his team’s scoring throughout the playoffs.
Shai’s 35 points anchored on 12-of-19 shooting in Game 7 against Denver also proved that the 26-year-old baller is unafraid of bright lights, showing that he has the potential to become the new face of the league.
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Minnesota Timberwolves
The Timberwolves’ playoff journey, meanwhile, was no easier than OKC’s.
As a 6th seeder, few expected that considering the teams arrayed against Minnesota, the team would go as far as the second round let alone the WCF.
Against media hype, the Timberwolves eliminated the Los Angeles Lakers through a gentleman sweep in the first round of the playoffs.
Banking on their center Rudy Gobert, Minnesota exploited the Lakers’ weak frontcourt lineup to dictate the series.
Edwards, nicknamed the “Ant-Man”, had a phenomenal performance of 26.8 points per game, 8.4 rebounds, 6.2 assists, and 1.2 steals in the first round.
The two-time all-star stole LeBron James’ thunder, pushing the latter to contemplate his future in the NBA.
The second round, however, proved to be another tall order for Minnesota, this time against the fast-paced Golden State Warriors.
After yielding Game 1 to the Warriors, 99-88, the Timberwolves regrouped to win the last four games and secure Minnesota’s ticket to the conference finals.
A series win over the No.1 seed OKC will not only send Minnesota to its first-ever finals appearance, but will also cement Edwards’ “legend killer” status, adding Shai to his growing list of playoff victims that include James, Steph Curry, and Nikola Jokic.
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SportJustSport writers