The NBA Conference Finals are set, and that means one thing—the league is down to its final four teams.
In the West, Anthony Edwards and the Minnesota Timberwolves will go head-to-head with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Oklahoma City Thunder. Over in the East, Tyrese Haliburton and the Indiana Pacers will take on Jalen Brunson and the New York Knicks.
Before the action tipped off Tuesday night with Game 1 between the Timberwolves and Thunder at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, NBA Hall of Famer Dwyane Wade locked in his 2025 Finals prediction.
Wade, a three-time NBA champion and 2006 Finals MVP, knows what it takes to reach the sport's biggest stage—he appeared in five NBA Finals over his 16-year career.
His pick? The Timberwolves versus the Knicks.
Wynetwork shared Wade's prediction on Instagram.
Dwyane Wade's 2025 NBA Finals prediction.
Dwyane Wade's 2025 NBA Finals prediction.
@wynetwork/Instagram
If he stands corrected, the Timberwolves would make their first trip to the NBA Finals in franchise history. In fact, this marks just their third trip to the Western Conference Finals.
If his prediction holds true, the Timberwolves would be heading to the NBA Finals for the first time in franchise history. This year marks just their third appearance in the Western Conference Finals—and their second in as many seasons.
Minnesota finished sixth in the West with a 49–33 record. One key concern heading into their series against OKC is their tendency to turn the ball over. The Timberwolves ranked 19th in the NBA in turnover rate this season, while the Thunder led the league in opponent turnover rate.
As for the Knicks, while this current roster has yet to reach the NBA Finals, the franchise has been there plenty of times. New York has made eight Finals appearances between 1951 and 1999, winning championships in 1970 and 1973.
This season, they finished third in the East with a 51–31 record. The Knicks and Pacers will meet for the second straight postseason. Last year, Indiana got the better of New York, winning their conference semifinal series in seven games.