The Minnesota Timberwolves just delivered the ultimate statement win, beating the Oklahoma City Thunder 112-107. This was just the third loss of the season for the defending champs, who have looked invincible for most of the season. Yes, it's only one regular season game, but a win like this is enough to remind other teams that the Wolves are very much still contenders.
Frankly, this game had a playoff-like atmosphere, and after meeting in the Western Conference finals, there's clearly some bad blood between the two squads. Chris Finch being ejected in the first quarter certainly added to this playoff-like atmosphere, and it gave the Wolves an extra energy boost.
Chris Finch ejected bro went crazy on the ref 😭😭😭 pic.twitter.com/2QkwgHYf4U
— Shabazz 💫 (@ShowCaseShabazz) December 20, 2025
The Wolves are trying to chase the Thunder and prove that, despite an uneven start to the season, they're very much still contenders, which made the win feel all the more meaningful. After a win like this, the Wolves' status as contenders should be respected, not questioned.
This win should remind people that the Wolves are legit title contenders
Anthony Edwards' step-back 3-pointer over Cason Wallace to seal a win will be the lasting memory of this game.
Edwards returned after missing three games with a foot injury and led the way for Minnesota with 26 points and 12 rebounds. While Edwards' incredible 3-pointer will understandably be what people remember from the game, make no mistake, it was the Wolves' defense (including from Ant) that truly won this game.
Ant did it all down the stretch in the Wolves win over the Thunder 😮💨
— NBA on Prime (@NBAonPrime) December 20, 2025
🐺: Step-back three for the lead
🐺: Block on Shai
🐺: Game-sealing steal for the win pic.twitter.com/5t2ASHzlrz
On the season, the Wolves have a 113.3 defensive rating (which ranks seventh in the league per Cleaning the Glass), not a bad number by any means. However, it's felt like the Wolves' defense has underperformed at times this season.
On Friday night, though, they put it all together. The rotations were on point, they were physical, they forced turnovers, they crashed the glass, and held everyone other than Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in check. You simply couldn't ask for a more complete defensive performance, and frankly, everyone deserves credit.
All of this led to the Wolves posting an absurd 102.9 DRTG and holding the Thunder to their second-lowest point total of the season. The Wolves' defense has a higher ceiling than just about any team in the league, and if they can consistently put together that should be a scary thought for the rest of the league.
Perhaps the most significant thing about this win to me is that the offense wasn't great. The Wolves shot 38 percent from the field and had some poor shot selection. While Ant was awesome, Julius Randle was 3-for-15 from the field, and Jaden McDaniels was 4-for-13. Additionally, they shot just 70 percent from the line. However, they found a way to win against the league's best team.
To put it another way, if they can win against the Thunder while underperforming on offense, the Wolves can beat anyone.
I understand being concerned about the Wolves' title viability; entering tonight, they were 2-10 against above-.500 teams have routinely struggled in clutch time play and lack a point guard. Nevertheless, when you win a game like that against the Thunder, those concerns seem irrelevant. Let us not forget that the Wolves have made back-to-back conference finals.
Ultimately, this game should serve as a reminder that even in a loaded Western Conference, the Wolves are championship contenders.