The Oklahoma City Thunder look to build on their dominant Game 1 performance where they dismantled the Minnesota Timberwolves 114-88 behind Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's impressive 31-point showing.
With OKC shooting 50% from the field and holding Minnesota to just 34.9% in the series opener, the Timberwolves face a steep uphill battle as 8-point underdogs heading into Game 2 at Paycom Center.
Minnesota will need Julius Randle (28 points in Game 1) to maintain his hot hand while finding ways to combat the Thunder's suffocating defense that currently ranks 1st in the league in opponent field goal percentage.
Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Minnesota Timberwolves prediction: who will win?
For tonight's Oklahoma City Thunder vs Minnesota Timberwolves matchup, our predictive model gives the Thunder a 79.5% chance of defeating the Wolves.
Oklahoma City Thunder: 79.5% win probability
- League-leading record (68-14 overall, best in Western Conference)
- Elite defense (8826 goals against, 2nd fewest in Western Conference)
- Outstanding recent form (WWWWL, winning 4 of last 5 games)
Minnesota Timberwolves: 20.5% win probability
- Significant win disparity (49-33 record, 19 fewer wins than OKC)
- Inconsistent recent performance (WWWLW, alternating results)
- Road game disadvantage against Western Conference's top seed
At Sporting Post, our unique prediction model brings together insights from top NBA experts. Instead of searching through countless expert analyses online, you can rely on our predictions to capture the market's overall sentiment. We scan trusted sources, analyzing expert picks, data, and trends, while our AI assigns a confidence level to each prediction. These confidence levels are then averaged to generate an 'expert opinion' win probability—providing a data-driven reflection of the collective intelligence of the industry's leading NBA analysts.
Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Minnesota Timberwolves odds
Here are the current odds for the NBA matchup between the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Oklahoma City Thunder, who will face off at home on Thursday, May 22.
| Oklahoma City Thunder | Minnesota Timberwolves | |
|---|---|---|
| Moneyline | -300 (via bet365 US) | +260 (via DraftKings Sportsbook) |
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Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Minnesota Timberwolves preview
The Oklahoma City Thunder look to build on their commanding 114-88 victory in Game 1 as they host the Minnesota Timberwolves for the second clash of the Western Conference Finals at Paycom Center on Thursday night.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who poured in 31 points while dishing out 9 assists in the series opener, continues to be the driving force behind OKC's dominant 68-14 campaign that has positioned them as clear favorites.
Despite Julius Randle's efficient 28-point performance on 69.2% shooting, the Timberwolves struggled mightily on offense, connecting on just 34.9% of their field goal attempts while being thoroughly outplayed on both ends.
Minnesota, which boasts the league's fifth-best defense allowing just 109.3 points per game during the regular season, will need to find answers for an OKC attack that ranks third in the NBA at 120.5 points per contest.
The 8-point spread reflects the significant gap displayed in Game 1, where Oklahoma City's suffocating defense and balanced attack overwhelmed a Timberwolves squad that now faces mounting pressure to avoid heading home in an 0-2 hole.
Key stats
- 1Thunder sitting at #1 in Western Conference with 68-14 record, giving them 19 more wins than Minnesota
- 2Timberwolves' recent form shows 3 wins in last 5 games (WWWLW) while Thunder have 4 wins in their last 5 (WWWWL)
- 3Thunder boast Western Conference's best scoring differential (+1055), outscoring opponents by nearly 13 points per game
- 4Minnesota sits at #6 in Western Conference with a 49-33 record and +410 point differential, significantly lower than OKC's dominance
Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Minnesota Timberwolves form
Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Minnesota Timberwolves head to head
Oklahoma City Thunder
33%
Minnesota Timberwolves
67%
May 21, 2025
Oklahoma City Thunder
114 : 88
Minnesota Timberwolves
Feb 25, 2025
Oklahoma City Thunder
128 : 131
Minnesota Timberwolves
Feb 24, 2025
Minnesota Timberwolves
123 : 130
Oklahoma City Thunder
Feb 14, 2025
Minnesota Timberwolves
116 : 101
Oklahoma City Thunder
Jan 1, 2025
Oklahoma City Thunder
113 : 105
Minnesota Timberwolves
Jan 30, 2024
Oklahoma City Thunder
101 : 107
Minnesota Timberwolves
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