OKC Thunder Star Embraces Role of Road Villain

The Oklahoma City Thunder have seen superstar Shai Gilgeous-Alexander embrace the role of being a villain in the NBA Playoffs after he silenced the Timberwolves crowd on Monday.

May 26, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) reacts after defeating the Minnesota Timberwolves in game four of the western conference finals for the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images | Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images

The Oklahoma City Thunder held on to gut out a 128-126 win on the road in Game 4 on the road. The Thunder stunned the Target Center as roaring boos to start the game eventually faded to mutterings which turned into silence as the Thunder's big three willed Oklahoma City to a win.

Despite the Timberwolves having five role players crack double figures includes 20-plus point nights from Jaden McDaniels, Donte DiVincenenzo and Nickeil Alexander-Walker.

A 40 point night from superstar Shai Gilgeous-Alexander helped erase all of the headway Minnesota attempted to make. While the Timberwolves kept fighting back, they never could swell its lead above two points all night in a contest that saw six lead changes.

The Timberwolves faithful has turned Gilgeous-Alexander into a villain, serenading him with boos every time he touched the ball. Chanting "Free Throw Merchant" with every attempt at the charity stripe. Treating the NBA's leading scorer as the grinch who stole basketball.

The only thing Gilgeous-Alexander was guilty of stealing on Monday was the Timberwolves spirit as he sent the Oklahoma City Thunder up 3-1 in the Western Conference Finals before heading back home for Game 5 on Wednesday.

After the game, the NBA MVP was asked about his feelings on being public enemy No. 1 in Minneapolis.

"It's super fun. It's pretty up there with being at home. The whole building is against you. Chanting whatever they're chanting. Screaming whatever they're screaming," Gilgeous-Alexander said. "It's your job to go out there and play basketball and kinda shut them up. It's definitely fun. It definitely adds more to the game."

The Kentucky product did just that, shutting down a frenzy filled Target Center crowd to a deafening silence to the point you could've heard a pin drop at center court.