Minnesota Timberwolves vs Oklahoma City Thunder

The Oklahoma City Thunder are poised to take a commanding step toward the 2025 NBA Finals as they face the Minnesota Timberwolves in Game Two of the Western Conference Finals on Friday at Paycom Center. Meanwhile, the Timberwolves are determined to even the series, hoping to avoid a 2-0 deficit before heading back to Minneapolis.

Match Preview

Oklahoma City Thunder

After a dominant Game Seven win against the Denver Nuggets, the Thunder carried their momentum into Game One, crushing the Timberwolves 114-88 to seize the series lead. Despite a sluggish first half with only 37% shooting, coach Mark Daigneault’s squad trailed by just four points at halftime. They then unleashed a blistering second half, outscoring Minnesota 70-40 over the final two quarters in a display of playoff brilliance.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the charge, dropping 31 points on 10-of-27 shooting, complemented by nine rebounds and five assists in 38 minutes. The Thunder’s 9-3 playoff record marks their best postseason start ever, reinforcing their status as title contenders. With a 13-2 record in their last 15 home games, OKC enters Game Two brimming with confidence. A victory would bring them halfway to their first NBA Finals appearance since 2012.

Minnesota Timberwolves

The Timberwolves, who dispatched the Los Angeles Lakers and Golden State Warriors with relative ease in earlier rounds, faced a stern challenge in Game One. Coach Chris Finch’s team started strong, leading for over 25 minutes, but faltered as the Thunder’s top-tier defense took over. Minnesota struggled offensively, hitting just 15 of 51 three-pointers and 29 of 83 field goals.

Julius Randle shone with 28 points and eight rebounds, but Anthony Edwards was held to 18 points, disappearing in the fourth quarter. Despite their Game One woes, the Timberwolves remain unbeaten in back-to-back playoff games this postseason. To keep that streak alive and steal a win in Oklahoma City, they’ll need to sharpen both their offense and defense in Game Two.

Both teams' injury lists remain unchanged, with Rob Dillingham and Nikola Topic staying sidelined for the Timberwolves and the Thunder, respectively.

With Wednesday's victory, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander recorded his fourth straight 30-point playoff game and is now just one point away from matching the five-point mark he set the previous season.

Another All-Star Last time out, Jalen Williams made NBA playoff history by becoming the youngest player to post 15 points, five assists, five steals, and zero turnovers. It was an unforgettable performance.

For for the second time in his career, Anthony Edwards will be hoping to recover for his team and avoid scoring fewer than 20 points in consecutive playoff games.