Conference Finals Shows Importance of Top Scorers

The Houston Rockets are at home watching two top young teams face each other in the Western Conference Finals. Each of these teams has a player capable of taking over a game and carrying their respective teams to a victory: Anthony Edwards for the Minnesota Timberwolves and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander for the Oklahoma City Thunder. Their performance in Game 1 is a clear example of why it's so important for a team to have an undisputed leader on offense and a star player capable of carrying the team.

The Rockets don't currently have a player who can play at the level of Edwards or Gilgeous-Alexander, but the front office is hoping one of Alperen Sengun, Amen Thompson, or Jalen Green can pan out as that type of player.

Seeing how Gilgeous-Alexander played in Game 1, there's a clear difference between him and Houston's best players.

Gilgeous-Alexander scored a game-high 31 points and used his gravity to break down the Timberwolves' defense. Not only was he nearly unstoppable on offense, but he also created opportunities for others through the threat of his scoring. He is the clear No. 1 option for the Thunder, and he may be rewarded with an MVP award for his efforts leading the team to one of the best seasons in franchise history.

Edwards didn't show up in the same capacity, and the Timberwolves struggled because of his dip in production.

Edwards has been one of the most productive players in the postseason, and his energy fueled Minnesota's second straight Western Conference Finals appearance. His teammates believe in his capabilities and increase their efforts to support him.

The belief from Minnesota has empowered Edwards to continue growing as a player. Now, Edwards is a franchise-altering player who has almost single-handedly carried the Timberwolves into the true contender tier.

However, Game 1 against the Thunder wasn't his best outing. His teammate, Julius Randle, did the heavy lifting offensively with 28 points. Edwards finished with 18, but he never displayed the dominance and ability to score at all three levels he's accustomed to.

Without a dominant game from Edwards, Oklahoma City's defense was able to settle in and force the rest of Edwards' team into difficult shots.

While Edwards and Gilgeous-Alexander performed at different levels in Game 1, they both represent franchises that have completely bought into their young stars. Franchises change when they acquire players of their caliber, and teams have a chance to win any game when those players are playing well. Houston hopes it can develop a player of their caliber or find one in the open market.