The Oklahoma City Thunder star posted 38 points and eight assists in a 118-103 win to take a 2-0 lead over the Minnesota Timberwolves, who now have the unenviable task of needing to take four out of five from the league's top team by record to reach the NBA Finals.

Through two games of the Western Conference finals, the toxicity of the Thunder’s all-time defense has bubbled for the Timberwolves.

Oklahoma City's defense clamps down, Anthony Edwards can't answer and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander perseveres at the foul line in Game 1 of the West Finals.

The Timberwolves have their first back-to-back losses of this postseason. The sobering part is that they have not been particularly close in either game of the Western Conference finals. The Oklahoma City Thunder followed up an opening game rout with a second blowout Thursday,

On Tuesday, the Thunder switched it up and went with Oklahoma-born singer Ben Rector. He played piano while singing, and it was top-notch. The Thunder is 2-0 in series where Big Rob opens. There is no such track record with Rector. His grade will go up if this series’ result is similar.

Signs of frustration have been evident for the Minnesota Timberwolves in the Western Conference finals against an Oklahoma City Thunder team chasing its first title with a mix of poise, precision and relentlessness unseen anywhere else in these NBA playoffs.

The Oklahoma City Thunder overwhelmed the Minnesota Timberwolves during the third quarter of Thursday's 118-103 win to take a commanding 2-0 lead in the Western Conference Finals. OKC's eight-point halftime lead swelled to 22 by the start of the final frame,

The reality of what’s facing the Timberwolves is creeping in as they head home for two games in the Western Conference finals.