There are losses, and then there are the kind that leave you staring at the ceiling at 3 a.m., replaying every rebound, every missed rotation, every “what if.” Game 4 was exactly that for the Minnesota Timberwolves. Final score: Thunder 128, Wolves 126. But it wasn’t just the two-point gap. It was the untangling. The self-inflicted wounds. The sense that something much bigger just slipped through Chris Finch & Co.’s fingers.

After battling back late in the fourth quarter, the Wolves watched their season teeter over the edge as Shai Gilgeous-Alexander dropped 40 points and OKC stole a 3-1 series lead. Minnesota had enough offense — Jaden McDaniels, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, and Donte DiVincenzo all balled out. But defensively? Not enough.

If there was ever a time to hit the panic button in Minnesota, this is it. Anthony Edwards? Held to 4 points on just 2 shots in the first half. The Timberwolves’ All-Star wasn’t just cold, but disconnected. And Finch wasn’t subtle in his messaging to the locker room, either. “This isn’t the formula to get it done,” Finch said bluntly postgame. “And I think that’s the most important thing to take away from tonight.”

Translation? The Thunder didn’t out-talent Minnesota, they did one better. They outworked them. OKC grabbed 19 offensive rebounds, turned 21 Wolves turnovers into 22 points, and shot a blistering 16-for-37 from deep. This wasn’t just a Shai takeover. This was a blueprint. Still, Shai was the tip of the spear. “I mean he’s 13 for 30,” Finch said. “Obviously went to the line 14 times — that’s too much. But 13 for 30 is a pretty good defensive effort there when it comes to two-point percentage… it’s the 16 for 37 from the three-point line that hurt us a lot more.”

So yes, Shai got his 40. But Finch essentially said: we’ll live with that, it’s the rest we screwed up on. But here’s the thing, that praise of Shai’s two-point containment? That wasn’t just about SGA. It was a message to his guys. Guard the arc. Rebound like it matters. And stop giving the ball away like it’s a holiday charity drive for the playoffs’ sake.

Chris Finch knows it’s all slipping

Minnesota actually had six players score in double digits. Nickeil Alexander-Walker poured in 23 with 6 assists. DiVincenzo added 21 off the bench. Jaden McDaniels dropped 22. Anthony Edwards, while adding just 4 points on 2 shots in the first half, finished with 16 points. The Wolves shot over 50% from the field. But the little things — second-chance points, missed closeouts, dead possessions — turned fatal.

OKC, meanwhile, continues to look like the best-coached team left in the playoffs. Shai’s composure. Jalen Williams’ 34-piece. Chet Holmgren’s 21 and seven boards. The Thunder are young, yes, but they’re acting like grizzled vets. And if that makes you wonder: how did Minnesota become the frustrated, mistake-prone team in this matchup? Look no further than the guy in charge. Finch admitted the rebounding issues were partly about effort. “They rebounded well out of their area… came from distance to get stuff,” he explained. That’s coach-code for “they wanted it more.”

Now, the Timberwolves head back to Game 5 in desperation mode. They’re not eliminated, not yet. But the margin for error has evaporated. So what’s left? Chris Finch has been widely credited for Minnesota’s regular-season rise. The Wolves defended at a high level, found late-game balance, and played some of their smartest basketball under his watch. But playoff adjustments are the final exam. And after Game 4, it’s clear OKC is acing theirs… and Minnesota might be out of pencils.

Finch still has Anthony Edwards. He still has Rudy Gobert and Mike Conley’s experience. He even has a deep bench. But if he can’t get this team to buy back into the grit and discipline that got them here? It’s a wrap.

Because while Finch gave Shai his flowers, and rightfully so, he also reminded the Wolves of one brutal truth: you don’t win playoff games on talent alone. You win them with urgency, chaos control, and focus. Minnesota had none of that in Game 4. And now? They’ve got one more shot to find it before this series becomes just another “what could’ve been.”