(1) Oklahoma City Thunder vs. (7) Minnesota Timberwolves
Regular Season Series: 2-2
Key Insights
The Western Conference Finals of the 2025 NBA Playoffs is a battle of a team great from day one versus a team hitting its stride at just the perfect time. It is also a showdown between two young, dynamic squads that excel on both sides of the ball—prolific on offense and smothering on defense.
Their regular season records notwithstanding, this matchup is probably a lot closer than people might think. Head-to-head, the Wolves and Thunder went 2-2, with the former averaging 118.8 points and the latter putting up 118. Then, in the postseason, Minnesota has looked phenomenal—dispatching the Los Angeles Lakers and Golden Warriors—while OKC has at times looked vulnerable against the Denver Nuggets. This suggests that the Wolves might be trending up, whereas the Thunder might be regressing to the mean.
That being said, both Minny and OKC are alike in so many ways. They’re led by dynamic young guards (Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Anthony Edwards), they each have a pair of superbly talented bigs (Isaiah Hartenstein and Chet Holmgren and Rudy Gobert, and Julius Randle), they have lockdown wings (Alex Caruso and Jaden McDaniels), and they’ve got capable benches.
So, buckle up! This Western Conference Finals has the makings of a classic!
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Players to Watch
Oklahoma City Thunder
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
(29.0 PPG, 5.9 RPG, 6.4 APG, 1.5 SPG)
Gilgeous-Alexander continues to be the centerpiece of the Thunder, but his numbers this postseason, except for his assists, are all down despite him playing two minutes more a game. Regardless, he is still stuffing the stat sheet and finding ways to make the big plays in crunch time.
Jalen Williams
(19.6 PPG, 5.4 RPG, 5.7 APG, 1.5 SPG)
Williams’s points, rebounds, and assists are down in these playoffs as well, and he had a brutal three-game stretch against Denver—Games 4 thru 6—where he shot a measly 23% from the field. Against that swarming Minnesota defense, Williams will need to step up or else the pressure on SGA to create might be too much.
Alex Caruso
(9.3 PPG, 2.5 RPG, 3.1 APG, 1.8 SPG)
Fantasy-wise, Caruso’s numbers are modest at best, though his steals certainly add value. But in terms of real hoops, his impact to OKC has been unquantifiable. He is unquestionably their best and most versatile defender, and he will likely have the unenviable task of being the primary cover against Minnesota’s Anthony Edwards.
Minnesota Timberwolves
Anthony Edwards
(26.5 PPG, 8.0 RPG, 5.9 APG, 1.5 SPG, 0.8 BPG)
Edwards is to Minnesota what SGA is to OKC—and he has no doubt elevated his game in the postseason. His scoring is a bit down, sure, but he’s doing a lot more of everything else. He’s also choosing his spots a lot better, coming up big in situations when the Wolves need him the most. He will be tested heavily by the Thunder’s plethora of long, athletic wings, starting with Caruso.
Julius Randle
(23.9 PPG, 5.9 RPG, 5.9 APG, 0.8 SPG)
No player has turned it up more this postseason than Randle. After seemingly coasting through the regular season, Randle has suddenly turned into a superstar these playoffs, bumping his scoring from 18.7 points to 23.9. He, at times, has been the fulcrum of the Wolves’ offense, and his versatility and consistency on that end of the floor have unlocked this team in so many ways.
Donte DiVincenzo
(8.0 PPG, 3.2 RPG, 3.5 APG, 1.7 SPG)
DiVincenzo will take on a similar role as Caruso, as he will likely get a ton of minutes trying to slow down Gilgeous-Alexander. He might not be as great as Caruso is on that side of the floor, but his shooting and playmaking on offense will be key if Minnesota wants to upset the Thunder.
Matchups to Watch
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander vs. Anthony Edwards
In all likelihood, SGA won’t be tasked to defend Edwards at all, save in cross-matches on the break. But don’t be surprised if Edwards spends plenty of time guarding SGA. Whatever the case may be, these two young superstars have the golden opportunity to get to the NBA Finals for the first time in their careers, and they might just put on a show to remember.
Julius Randle vs. Isaiah Hartenstein
Chet Holmgren will have his turn to slow down Randle, but expect Hartenstein to get first dibs due to Randle’s physicality and their familiarity from their time with the New York Knicks. Hartenstein probably won’t stop his former Knicks teammate entirely, but slowing him down just enough will definitely help propel OKC to the NBA Finals.
Chet Holmgren vs. Rudy Gobert
Gobert has been quietly great for Minnesota this postseason by simply doing his thing: rebounding and anchoring the Wolves’ interior defense. The Stifle Tower will have to be at his best against OKC and its twin bigs of Holmgren and Hartenstein to give Minny a better chance.
DFS Tip
Not that it needs to be stated explicitly, but we’ll do it anyway: Bet big on those young superstars! Everything starts and ends with SGA and Ant-Man, and there’s a more than decent chance they’ll put up big numbers and play spectacular basketball in what is so far the biggest series they’ll be playing in.
When filling out your fantasy roster, make sure to find roster spots for Randle and Holmgren as recent history suggests both are primed for even better games. For low-cost, high-value picks, you won’t go wrong with either Caruso or DiVincenzo. If you want to go deeper, Minnesota’s Mike Conley and OKC’s Cason Wallace are your best bets.
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