NBA Notes: Thunder, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Timberwolves, Ayo Dosunmu, Magic

Thunder

This is what a No. 1 seed is supposed to look like, and yes, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was ridiculous. Again.

Forty-two points. Fifteen of 18 shooting. Tough shots, easy shots, everything in between. The Thunder rode that to a 121-109 win over the Suns and a 3-0 series lead.

Game 4 is Monday. You know what that means. Sweep watch.

Even with Jalen Williams out, Oklahoma City never really lost control. Ajay Mitchell stepped in. Alex Caruso gave them a lift. Same formula.

Phoenix had a moment when Devin Booker went down with an ankle injury, then came back to a roar and briefly sparked a push. Didn’t last.

That’s where things stand right now with the Thunder. You make a run, they shut the door.

Timberwolves

Every postseason has that one out-of-nowhere performance. This might be it.

Ayo Dosunmu dropped a career-high 43 points off the bench — yes, off the bench — to lead the Timberwolves past the visiting Nuggets 112-96.

Series? 3-1, Wolves. With Anthony Edwards and Donte DiVincenzo banged up, Minnesota needed something.

They got everything. Dosunmu went 13-of-17. Perfect from deep. Perfect at the line. The kind of night you don’t see coming — and probably don’t see again.

“I don’t think anyone saw that,” would’ve been a fair quote here.

Things got chippy late. Nikola Jokic didn’t love a late layup. Words were exchanged. Ejections followed.

Playoff stuff. Bottom line? Denver’s in trouble.

Magic

Not pretty. Doesn’t have to be.

Paolo Banchero and Desmond Bane each scored 25 as the Magic held off the Pistons for a 113-105 home win. Orlando leads 2-1.

“We’re looking forward to Monday, man,” Banchero said.

They can breathe a little after this one.

The Magic blew a 17-point fourth-quarter lead. Let that sink in. Detroit stormed back behind Cade Cunningham and Tobias Harris and actually took the lead late.

Then Orlando closed on a 9-0 run.

“Our defense, our composure, our communication … so important,” coach Jamahl Mosley said.

He’s right. Because for a stretch, it looked like it was gone.

“One game at a time,” J.B. Bickerstaff said.

That’s all you can do now. Especially in a series like this.