Following the Minnesota Timberwolves’ 114-88 defeat to the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals, Mike Conley acknowledged both the physical toll and mental lapses that cost his team the opener.
“We were making it really tough on ourselves,” Conley said during his postgame media availability.
Minnesota held a 48-44 lead at halftime, but Oklahoma City stormed out with a 10-0 run to open the third quarter and never looked back.
Conley pointed to Oklahoma City’s ball pressure and physicality as primary issues that disrupted the Timberwolves’ offensive rhythm.
“They’re trying to extend the pressure… you’re running offense way out past half court,” he said.
The veteran guard noted several missed opportunities on offense that stalled momentum and led to inefficient possessions.
“We had guys open at certain points… just kind of made the pass two clicks late, or not on time,” Conley added.
Minnesota finished the night with just 34.9 percent shooting from the field and 29.4 percent from three-point range.
Despite that, Conley expressed belief in the Timberwolves’ perimeter shooters: “I’m not overly concerned about us missing wide-open shots… we’ve got some of the best shooters out there.”
Julius Randle, who posted 28 points, scored just eight in the second half as Oklahoma City packed the paint and forced Minnesota into tougher looks.
“They do a good job of being physical on the ball and packing the paint,” Conley said, emphasizing that Randle’s effectiveness came more from movement and spacing than isolation sets.
The Thunder’s defensive approach forced the Timberwolves to operate mostly side-to-side, with little penetration.
“When you can’t break that first line of defense… you’re not getting any kind of penetration to the paint,” Conley said.
He emphasized the need to play with more energy and discipline to counter the Thunder’s aggression.
“If we can just be more assertive… get the ball to spots where we need it, so we can start running our actions with some pace,” he said.
Asked if the series could hinge on Minnesota’s three-point shooting, Conley responded with confidence in the team’s long-range efficiency.
“We were one of the best three-point shooting teams… so I’m fine with that as long as they’re quality ones,” he said.
He also called out the team’s need to limit unforced turnovers: “We can’t be the ones just giving it to them or dribbling off our leg.”
While acknowledging some frustration with officiating, Conley made it clear that the Timberwolves must maintain focus.
“We’ve talked about that… just keeping our head, keeping our mentality focused on the game,” he said.
With Game 2 scheduled for Thursday night, Conley said the team understands what lies ahead.
“We came in here knowing it’s going to be a long series… we’ll be ready,” he said. “We know what’s to come.”
