MINNEAPOLIS: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had 40 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists in a steely performance befitting the NBA MVP, and the Oklahoma City Thunder snapped back from a 42-point loss by beating the Minnesota Timberwolves 128-126 in Game 4 on Monday night to take a 3-1 lead in the Western Conference finals.
Jalen Williams scored 34 points on 13-for-24 shooting, including 6 of 9 from 3-point range, and Chet Holmgren added 21 points, seven rebounds and three blocks in a statement game in his hometown that helped the Thunder stave off several pushes by the Wolves to tie the series.
Gilgeous-Alexander went 12 for 14 from the free-throw line, making a pair with 6.1 seconds left to stretch the lead back to three. The Thunder fouled Anthony Edwards with 3.5 seconds to go, and his intentional miss of the second one to try to keep possession was tracked down in the corner by Gilgeous-Alexander and flung out of bounds in attempt to drain the clock.
The Wolves had one more inbounds pass with 0.3 seconds remaining that Williams grabbed to send the Thunder back to Oklahoma City for Game 5 on Wednesday with the chance to advance to the NBA Finals.
Edwards was limited to 16 points, and Julius Randle was also bottled up by the Thunder’s relentless defense led by Luguentz Dort.
Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Donte DiVincenzo each went 5 for 8 from 3-point range to lead a second straight onslaught of bench offense to keep the Wolves close all night, but the Thunder always had an answer for the mini-runs they managed. They trailed for only 36 seconds, all stretches in the first quarter.
Any intrigue about how the Thunder would respond to the 143-101 drubbing in Game 3 quickly disappeared when Williams started hitting from deep to lead an 11-for-17 shooting start from the floor.
After shooting just 28 percent from 3-point range over their first six road games in these NBA playoffs, the Thunder went 16 for 37 — straining the Wolves defensively with all the difficulty Gilgeous-Alexander was presenting again following a quiet game on Saturday.
The Thunder, for all their dominance, have shown a hint of vulnerability away from Paycom Center, where they’re 7-1 with a plus-191 scoring differential this postseason.
Thunder fend off T-wolves 128-126 to take 3-1 lead behind SGA’s 40-point game
https://arab.news/bqmzd
Thunder fend off T-wolves 128-126 to take 3-1 lead behind SGA’s 40-point game
Saudi Arabia ‘elevating’ women’s cricket with new T20 tournament
- Groundbreaking partnership to feature players from 35 countries
- Annual Women’s T20 World Challenge marks new chapter for women’s sport, says Prince Saud bin Mishal Al-Saud
RIYADH: The Saudi Arabian Cricket Federation’s new five-year partnership with FairBreak Global to host a Women’s World T20 Challenge in Saudi Arabia from 2026, will be “elevating” the game for females in the Kingdom.
This was the comment made by SACF Chairman Prince Saud bin Mishal Al-Saud in a press release recently. “This partnership represents another step in our journey to build a world-class cricket ecosystem in the Kingdom,” he said.
“By bringing a global women’s tournament to Saudi Arabia, we are not only elevating the sport, but also opening new pathways for talent development, private-sector participation, and international investment — fully aligned with our vision for the future of cricket and the ambitions of Vision 2030,” he added.
The event will be the first professional women’s T20 league to take place in the Kingdom.
The challenge will bring together players from more than 35 countries, including many from emerging cricket nations.
“This partnership is more than a tournament, it is a long-term investment in the future of women’s sport in Saudi Arabia,” said Tariq Ziad Sagga, CEO of the SACF.
“We are proud to welcome the world’s leading players while creating new pathways for Saudi girls and women to participate in sport at every level. This reflects our values of growth, ambition and global collaboration,” he added.
The event will also be made accessible to global audiences through live broadcast and digital streaming, said the SACF.
“We are proud to partner with Saudi Arabia on what we believe is a truly significant step for FairBreak and for women’s cricket worldwide,” said R.V. Venkatesh, MD at FairBreak Cricket Ltd.
“Saudi Arabia offers not only a world-class stage, but also a long-term opportunity to grow the game, support emerging talent, and bring people together through sport. This is about building something meaningful, with real momentum and global relevance,” added Venkatesh.
“This is more than a cricket tournament. It’s a statement that Saudi Arabia is ready to lead globally in sport, innovation, and inclusion,” said Taha Coburn-Kutay, director at FairBreak.
“As we invest in infrastructure and access, we are also investing in the future of women in cricket and inviting the world to experience a new, modern Saudi Arabia,” said Coburn-Kutay.
