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Julius Randle #30 of the Minnesota Timberwolves high-fives Anthony Edwards in the fourth quarter of the game against the Utah Jazz at Target Center on April 13, 2025 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that (Getty Images)
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - The Minnesota Timberwolves' opponent for the Western Conference Finals has been set.
Who are the Wolves playing in the Western Conference Finals?
What we know:
The Oklahoma City Thunder punched their ticket to the Western Conference Finals on Sunday with a decisive 125-93 win over Denver in Game 7.
The Thunder are the top-seed in the West and finished the regular season with the best record in the NBA at 68-14.
The Wolves split the season series with the Thunder, 2-2. The last two games were back-to-back games in late February, which were also split. At the time, the Wolves were without star forward Julius Randle and defensive stalwart Rudy Gobert for the February matchups.
Homecoming for Chet Holmgren
Local perspective:
The series will be a homecoming for rising star and former Minnehaha Academy star Chet Holmgren. Holmgren, the starting power forward for the Thunder, will also present a defensive conundrum for the Wolves when the Thunder go small and play him at center.
In February, without Gobert on the floor, the Wolves matched the Thunder with small ball, playing Naz Reid at center and bringing rookie Jaylen Clark to the lineup to help with perimeter defense.
The only time Gobert was active against the Thunder this year was a New Year's Eve game that the Wolves lost. Holmgren didn't play that day.
Western Conference Finals schedule
Timeline:
The conference finals games tip off on Tuesday. Because the Thunder are the higher seed, the Wolves will play Games 1 and 2 on the road before returning to Minnesota for Games 3 and 4.
Here is a look at the schedule for the Western Conference Finals:
May 20: Western Conference Finals – Game 1 – MIN at OKC on ESPN, 7:30 p.m. CT
May 22: Western Conference Finals – Game 2 – MIN at OKC on ESPN, 7:30 p.m. CT
May 24: Western Conference Finals – Game 3 – OKC at MIN on ABC, 7:30 p.m. CT
May 26: Western Conference Finals – Game 4 – OKC at MIN on ESPN, 7:30 p.m. CT
May 28: Western Conference Finals – Game 5 – MIN at OKC on ESPN, 7:30 p.m. CT (if necessary)
May 30: Western Conference Finals – Game 6 – OKC at MIN on ESPN, 7:30 p.m. CT (if necessary)
June 1: Western Conference Finals – Game 7 – MIN at OKC/DEN on ESPN, 7 p.m. CT (if necessary)
(Bolded games are in Minnesota)
What's next:
If the Wolves were to win the Western Conference Finals, they would be the lower-seeded team no matter who comes out of the East, meaning Games 3, 4, and 6 would be played at the Target Center.
Game 1: Thursday, June 5
Game 2: Sunday, June 8
Game 3: Wednesday, June 11
Game 4: Friday, June 13
Game 5 (if necessary): Monday, June 16
Game 6 (if necessary): Thursday, June 19
Game 7 (if necessary): Sunday, June 22
Each game will be shown on ABC.
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