There are only four teams remaining in the NBA playoffs and they will battle it out in the Eastern and Western Conference Finals to keep their championship hopes alive and advance to the NBA Finals.
In the Eastern Conference Finals, it will be a matchup between the New York Knicks and Indiana Pacers while the Oklahoma City Thunder and Minnesota Timberwolves meet in the Western Conference Finals.
For the Thunder, they are coming off a seven-game series in the second round against the Denver Nuggets that they were able to clinch in Game 7 at home on Sunday afternoon.
Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) looks to pass around Minnesota Timberwolves guard Nickeil Alexander-Walker (9) in the second half at Target Center.
Credit: Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images
It will be a quick turnaround for Oklahoma City as they will host Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals against Minnesota on Tuesday night.
Ahead of the start of the series on Tuesday night, Los Angeles Lakers and NBA legend Magic Johnson gave his prediction for the series.
“I have the New Knicks beating the Indiana Pacers and the Minnesota Timberwolves beating the Oklahoma City Thunder to advance to the NBA Finals,” Johnson posted on X ahead of the two series.
This is a bold claim by Johnson, especially on the Western Conference side as he is not going with the favorite to win the series but instead picking the Timberwolves to upset the Thunder.
Of course, the Thunder have been the most dominant team all season but they will have a tough matchup against the Timberwolves, especially with Minnesota having the rest advantage entering the series.
Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2), forward Chet Holmgren (7), forward Jalen Williams (8), guard Luguentz Dort
Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2), forward Chet Holmgren (7), forward Jalen Williams (8), guard Luguentz Dort
© Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images
Minnesota was able to defeat the Golden State Warriors is five games in the second round of the playoffs where it took Oklahoma City seven games to get past Denver.
While the Timberwolves will be the more rested team, the Thunder’s incredible amount of depth outside of their star trio of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren has been the driving force for them this season and thus far in the playoffs, which has made them the favorite to represent the West in the NBA Finals.