0-2, with a 15-point defeat, where is the Timberwolves losing in this game? Three major defeats were exposed, the biggest "sinner" was found

On May 23, 2025, this heartbreaking night for Timberwolves fans, the Timberwolves lost to the Thunder with a huge gap of 103-118, falling behind 0-2, and the team's road to championships fell into a darkest moment. The defeat in this game exposed many problems of the Timberwolves, and Randall's sluggish performance has become a key factor in the team's loss.

Fault 1: The Timberwolves made frequent mistakes in this game. Throughout the game, the players seemed to be in shape. Passing mistakes and dribbling mistakes appeared one after another. 14 mistakes in the game were far higher than the Thunder's 6. In the whole game, the Thunder used their turnovers to score 22 points, while the Timberwolves only scored 10 points. As time goes by, the score difference is quickly widened, and mistakes have become the key fuse for the team's failure.

Fault 2: Defensive end, the Timberwolves performed equally poorly. The Thunder's offensive firepower exploded in full swing, and players such as Alexander, Jaylen and Homgren were like sharp blades, tearing open the Timberwolves' defense again and again. Alexander revitalized the team's offense with his excellent breakthrough and passing ability; Jaylen felt hot outside the three-point line on the outside and hit key three-pointers many times; Homgren was in the inside, doing an excellent job in both offense and rebounding protection. The Timberwolves' defensive strategy has completely failed. The players have poor communication during defense, do not rotate in time, and their focus on Thunder players is not in place, allowing the opponent to play easily on the offensive end.

Fault 3: The inside score gap is too big. In the whole game, the Timberwolves scored only 44 points in the inside, while the Thunder scored 58 points. Among them, Gobert made 2 of 5 shots and only scored 5 points, Randall made 2 of 11 shots and only scored 6 points, and 0 of 3 three-pointers, while Thunder Homegren scored 22 points alone, with a clear offensive gap. The performance of core players often determines the direction of the game, and Randall is the biggest sinner of the Timberwolves' loss in this game. As one of the core of the team, his performance in the game was surprising. He made only 2 of 11 shots in the game, scoring far below average, and his offensive efficiency was extremely low. On the offensive end, not only did he shoot low, but his shooting choices also had great problems. He took action in unreasonable positions many times, wasting the team's offensive opportunities. At the same time, he failed to play his due role on the defensive end, and his footsteps moved slowly, and his defensive loss against Thunder players was seriously damaged, becoming a loophole in the team's defense. His sluggish performance directly affected the team's morale and offensive efficiency, leaving the Timberwolves passive in the game.

Timberwolves must solve these problems if they want to win back in the next game. Reduce mistakes, improve defensive intensity, strengthen rebounding protection, and core players must also find their form. Otherwise, their journey in the Western Conference Finals might end early.