Timberwolves come home in a big hole dug by the relentless Thunder and their poise, precision

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The newest NBA MVP put his head down and dribbled toward the basket, an attempt by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to lunge past one of the league's best perimeter defenders midway through the fourth quarter of another decisive victory by Oklahoma City in the Western Conference finals.

After his right arm was subtly hooked by Gilgeous-Alexander at the beginning of the drive, Jaden McDaniels reached for the middle of his back and pushed Minnesota's tormentor with enough force to send him stumbling to the floor on Thursday with the Thunder up by 16 points.

McDaniels got a Flagrant 1 penalty and shrugged off the significance of the shove afterward. He had fouls to give, he said, so he used one. But it was a clear sign of frustration for the Timberwolves, who have so far seen their own championship aspirations overwhelmed by a well-constructed team chasing the title with a mix of poise, precision and relentlessness unseen anywhere else in these NBA playoffs.

“We've got to meet their aggression,” said Julius Randle, who had by far his worst performance of this postseason in Game 2 with just six points on 2-for-11 shooting and four turnovers.

The Thunder will take a 2-0 lead and a load of confidence and momentum into Game 3 on Saturday night at Target Center in Minneapolis.

“We've got to be desperate,” McDaniels said. “Every possession matters.”

One of the most discouraging developments for the Wolves from Game 2 was that they held the Thunder to 9-for-33 shooting from 3-point range and still lost by 15.

Deftly bucking the data-driven NBA trend away from midrange jumpers, the Thunder shot 63% on 2-pointers, many of them outside of the lane against a Wolves team that has established itself as big, fast and strong enough to consistently take away the rim and the perimeter.

“We have to do just a better job of contesting that. We’re trying to take away a lot of things. They do a great job of getting into those spots,” said Mike Conley, who at plus-19 is the only net-positive player for the Wolves in the series.

The rest of the guards in their usual eight-man rotation have been badly outscored during their time on the court. Anthony Edwards is a minus-45, Donte DiVincenzo is a minus-47, and Nickeil Alexander-Walker is a minus-20.

Just as critical as tightening up the middle of their defense for the Wolves will be getting Randle going again. After averaging 24 points on 52% shooting over his first 11 games of the playoffs, including Game 1 of this series, his struggle against the Thunder's intense ball pressure was so pronounced on Thursday that coach Chris Finch kept him on the bench for the entire fourth quarter.

“Probably just standing and spectating too much,” Randle said. “I've got to get myself into actions, get myself on the move. We know what type of defense they are. They’re going to swarm you.”

Unfortunately for the Wolves, the Thunder got their wakeup call out of the way nearly three weeks ago when they wasted a 13-point lead midway through the fourth quarter and lost their second-round opener when Denver's Aaron Gordon hit a go-ahead 3-pointer with 3 seconds left.

The Nuggets presented several different defensive strategies that the Thunder ultimately figured out how to pivot away from on their way to winning the series in seven games. The Wolves have done the same so far, emptying the playbook in an attempt to keep Gilgeous-Alexander's slick-moving, smooth-shooting game in check and the role players from beating them beyond the arc.

But while the Wolves are superior defensively to the Nuggets, the Thunder used that experience to not practice the postseason art of quick adjustment — and cut their teeth in some close games. They took plenty of tactical and mental momentum, into this matchup.

“We had our backs against the wall and had to respond multiple times in that series,” coach Mark Daigneault said. "And now we have a different challenge. We’re up 2-0 going into their place. We know they’re going to play very aggressively, hard, comfortably at home, and now we’ve got to have the mental toughness to go and rise to that challenge.”

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Minnesota Timberwolves forward Julius Randle, center, fights for the ball against Oklahoma City Thunder guard Luguentz Dort, left, and forward Jalen Williams during the first half of Game 2 of an NBA basketball Western Conference Finals playoff series Thursday, May 22, 2025, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Nate Billings)

Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards goes up for a basket against Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) during the second half of Game 2 of an NBA basketball Western Conference Finals playoff series Thursday, May 22, 2025, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Nate Billings)

Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander reacts after a play against the Minnesota Timberwolves during the first half of Game 2 of an NBA basketball Western Conference Finals playoff series Thursday, May 22, 2025, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Nate Billings)

Oklahoma City Thunder forward Jalen Williams (8) is defended by Minnesota Timberwolves guard Mike Conley (10) and forward Jaden McDaniels (3) during the second half of Game 2 of an NBA basketball Western Conference Finals playoff series Thursday, May 22, 2025, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Nate Billings)

Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) drives against Minnesota Timberwolves guard Mike Conley (10) during the first half of Game 2 of an NBA basketball Western Conference Finals playoff series Thursday, May 22, 2025, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Nate Billings)

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Lamar Jackson thought it was over. That the Baltimore Ravens' unwieldy season would end up in a familiar spot: the playoffs.

Then, rookie kicker Tyler Loop's potential game-winning field goal from 44 yards out drifted a little right. And then a little further right. And then a little further right still.

By the time it fluttered well wide of the goalposts, the playoffs were gone. So was Jackson's certainty after a 26-24 loss to Pittsburgh on Sunday night sent the Ravens into what could be a turbulent offseason.

“I'm definitely stunned, man,” Jackson said. “I thought we had it in the bag. ... I don't know what else we can do.”

Jackson, who never really seemed fully healthy during his eighth season as he battled one thing after another, did his part. The two-time NFL MVP passed for 238 yards and three touchdowns, including two long connections with Zay Flowers in the fourth quarter that put the Ravens (8-9) in front.

It just wasn't enough. Baltimore's defense, which played most of the second half without star safety Kyle Hamilton after Hamilton entered the concussion protocol, wilted against 42-year-old Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers.

Rodgers passed for a season-high 294 yards, including a 26-yard flip to a wide-open Calvin Austin with 55 seconds to go after a defender slipped, symbolic of a season in which Baltimore's defense only occasionally found its form.

Still, the Ravens had a chance when Jackson found Isaiah Likely for a 28-yard gain on fourth down from midfield. A couple of snaps later, the 24-year-old Loop walked on to try to lift Baltimore to its third straight division title.

Instead, the rookie said he “mishit” it. Whatever it was, it never threatened to sneak between the goalposts.

“It’s disappointing,” Loop said.

Loop was talking about the game. He might as well have been talking about his team's season.

The Ravens began 1-5 as Jackson dealt with injuries and the defense struggled to get stops. Baltimore found a way to briefly tie the Steelers for first in late November, only to then split its next four games, including a home loss to Pittsburgh.

Still, when Jackson and the Ravens walked onto the Acrisure Stadium turf on Sunday night in the 272nd and final game of the NFL regular season, Baltimore was confident. The Ravens drilled Pittsburgh in the opening round of the playoffs a year ago behind the ever-churning legs of running back Derrick Henry.

When Henry ripped off a gain of 40-plus yards on the game's first offensive snap, it looked like it was going to be more of the same. While Henry did rush for 126 yards and joined Hall of Famer Barry Sanders as the only running backs in NFL history to have five 1,500-yard seasons, he was less effective in the second half.

Even that first run was telling of what night it was going to be, as an illegal block by wide receiver Zay Flowers cost Baltimore some field position. The Ravens ended up scoring on the drive anyway, thanks to a 38-yard fourth-down flip from Jackson to a wide-open Devontez Walker, but it started a pattern that was hard to shake as several steps forward were met with one step back on a night the Ravens finished with nine penalties for 78 yards.

“We were having a lot of penalties, which kept stopping drives," Jackson said. “But I'm proud of my guys because we kept overcoming. We kept overcoming adversity and situations like this. Divisional games (can) be like that sometimes.”

Particularly when the Steelers are on the other side of the line of scrimmage. Pittsburgh has won 10 of the last 13 meetings. And while a handful of them have been in late-season matchups with the Ravens already assured of reaching the playoffs, the reality is the Steelers have been able to regularly do something that most others have not: found a way to beat Jackson.

“It comes down to situations like this,” Jackson said. “Two-point conversion one year. Field goal another year. And again this year. Just got to find a way to get that win here.”

And figure out who is going to be around to help get it.

Head coach John Harbaugh's 18th season in Baltimore ended with the Ravens missing the playoffs for just the second time in eight years. Jackson turns 29 this week and is still one of the most electric players in the league.

Yet Harbaugh and Jackson have yet to find a way to have that breakthrough season that Harbaugh enjoyed with Joe Flacco in 2013 when the Ravens won the Super Bowl.

There was hope when the season began that the roadblocks that have long been in the franchise's way — Kansas City and Patrick Mahomes chief among them — would be gone.

While the Ravens did get their way in a sense — the Chiefs will watch the playoffs from afar for the first time in a decade after a nightmarish season of their own — it never all came together.

Jackson declined to endorse Harbaugh returning for a 19th season, saying the loss was still too fresh to zoom out on what it might mean for the franchise going forward.

Harbaugh, for his part, certainly seems up for running it back in the fall.

“I love these guys,” he said afterward. “I love these guys.”

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Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson, right, hands the ball off to running back Derrick Henry (22) during the first half of an NFL football game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh talks with an offical during the second half of an NFL football game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Justin Berl)

Pittsburgh Steelers defensive tackle Cameron Heyward, left, greets Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson (8) after an NFL football game Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

Pittsburgh Steelers safety Jabrill Peppers (40) reacts after Baltimore Ravens kicker Tyler Loop (33) missed a field goal attempt in the second half of an NFL football game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)