The 2025 Western Conference Finals tip off on Tuesday night as the Minnesota Timberwolves take on the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 1.
The top-seeded Thunder, who finished the regular season with the best record in the NBA at 68-14, just finished off a seven-game series against the Denver Nuggets, outlasting the 2023 NBA champions to reach the second-to-last round.
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The Timberwolves, on the other hand, completed back-to-back upsets in dominant fashion.
In the first round, they took down the No. 3-seeded Los Angeles Lakers in five games. Last round, they took down the No. 7-seeded Golden State Warriors, who were favorites to win despite being a lower seed. That series also went just five games.
Now, the two Western Conference powerhouses will meet with a trip to the NBA Finals on the line.
Here's how the staff at Newsweek Sports expects this series to shake out.
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Gabe Smallson: The Timberwolves have put together a spectacular run thanks to superstar Anthony Edwards coming up in big moments and Julius Randle's dominance. Oklahoma City has proven that they are a deep team, but the series is going to come down to how the Thunder's bigs match up against Minnesota's. Expect Chet Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein to have some difficult nights against Rudy Gobert and Julius Randle, while Jaden McDaniels proves to be the X-factor of the Western Conference Finals.
Prediction: Timberwolves in 7
Ricardo Sandoval: The Oklahoma City Thunder are eyeing their first trip to the NBA Finals since 2012, and they're in a strong position to make it happen. They were one of the most consistent teams throughout the regular season and have shown resilience in the playoffs, even with a few bumps along the way in the second round.
The Timberwolves, meanwhile, have cruised through the postseason and boast arguably the top player, as well as superior size and athleticism. However, Oklahoma City matches up well in those areas — and might even have the edge overall.
With the likely MVP in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander leading the charge and home-court advantage in their favor, the Thunder have all the tools to pull this off.
Prediction: Thunder in 7
Noah Camras: This may not be the Western Conference Finals everyone expected, but it's sure to be entertaining with two of the game's best young stars in Anthony Edwards and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander facing off. The Timberwolves fell just short of the NBA Finals last year, losing in the Western Conference Finals to the Dallas Mavericks. That experience will prove to be vital as Minnesota will continue to shock the world, taking down the best team in the league en route to their first Finals appearance in franchise history.
Prediction: Timberwolves in 6
James Brizuela: Anthony Edwards was able to propel the Minnesota Timberwolves to the Western Conference Finals against the Oklahoma City Thunder. Though the Timberwolves have proven to be tough against the Los Angeles Lakers and the Golden State Warriors, the Thunder are on a different level. Expect SGA to continue his hot playoff streak, leading to a decisive six-game series win.
Prediction: Thunder in 6
Nelson Espinal: The Wolves matched up well with the Thunder in the regular season — making them one of the few teams that can say that — which should give them confidence in this series. The series is going to come down to whether or not the Wolves supporting cast is able to help Anthony Edwards, and they have so far through two rounds. Julius Randle has been spectacular and will need to continue to be against the Thunder. While the Thunder are the favorites coming in, the Wolves have all the ingredients to pull off the upset.
Prediction: Timberwolves in 7
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This story was originally published May 20, 2025 at 2:40 PM.