Anthony Edwards, Minnesota Timberwolves
Credit: Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images
The Minnesota Timberwolves have made it through the first two rounds of the 2025 NBA Playoffs virtually unscathed, knocking off both the Los Angeles Lakers and Golden State Warriors in five games. It’s unlikely their Western Conference Finals series vs the 1-seed Oklahoma City Thunder will play out that way, however.
If you’re a Timberwolves fan trying to make the trip to OKC for games one and/or two, don’t order through TicketMaster, which has geographical restrictions on who can and cannot buy tickets. Read more on that crazy story, HERE.
If Minnesota can grab a road win to start off the Western Conference Finals, as they have done early in each of their previous two series, momentum in this series will change nearly immediately.
Western Conference Finals Picks and Predictions: Minnesota Timberwolves vs Oklahoma City Thunder
NBA oddsmakers don’t see that happening, though. All the major sportsbooks have Minnesota as sizable underdogs, not just Tuesday night in game one, but in the series too. And it’s not just Vegas doubting them.
Anthony Edwards Minnesota Timberwolves
Credit: Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports
Most national media members have the Thunder advancing to the NBA Finals over the Wolves too, despite this being the ladder’s second-straight trip to the West Finals, not to mention the difficulties OKC had putting away the Nuggets in round two.
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Nonetheless, the vast majority of NBA experts are leaning into the odds, especially at The Athletic and NBA.com, where 15 of 17 pundits are picking the Thunder. Remember, the Minnesota Timberwolves can proved these “experts” wrong, they’ll be off to the first NBA Finals in franchise history.
The Athletic Prediction
Eric Koreen Thunder in 6
James L. Edwards III Thunder in 5
Law Murray Thunder in 5
Marcus Thompson II Timberwolves in 6
John Hollinger Thunder in 6
Will Guillory Thunder in 5
Christian Clark Thunder in 6
Sam Amick Thunder in 7
Eric Nehm Thunder in 7
NBA.com Prediction
Brian Martin Thunder
Shaun Powell Thunder
John Schuhmann Thunder
Steve Aschburner Timberwolves
The immediate storyline in this series is Anthony Edwards vs Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Those are the two superstars who have the capability of single-handedly dictating the outcome in these Western Conference Finals.
These two split four games during the regular season, but they have not played since February and Julius Randle only played in the first game between the two. And you have to believe the Minnesota Timberwolves are desperate to prove last year’s West Finals were a fluke.
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Over at ESPN, they seem to have believe more in that eventual reality than their colleagues at other national mainstream media outlets. Still, there are more doubters than believers over at ESPN, too. Out of 13 NBA experts at the four-letter network, a whopping FIVE picked the Wolves.
ESPN Prediction
Jerry Bembry Thunder in 6
Jamal Collier Timberwolves in 7
Chris Herring Thunder in 6
Zach Kram Thunder in 6
Bobby Marks Thunder in 6
Dave McMenamin Timberwolves in 6
Omar Raja Timberwolves in 6
Ramona Shelburne Thunder in 7
Andre Snellings Timberwolves in 7
Marc Spears Timberwolves in 7
Jeremy Woo Thunder in 6
Michael C. Wright Thunder in 6
Ohm Youngmisuk Thunder in 7
Mentioned in this article: NBA Playoffs Oklahoma City Thunder Predictions Western Conference Finals More About:Minnesota Timberwolves