Thunder Favorites but Timberwolves Rest Differential: A Thrilling Western Conference Finals Preview
The Western Conference Finals of the 2025 NBA playoffs are set to be a thrilling matchup between the Oklahoma City Thunder and Minnesota Timberwolves. The Thunder, who finished the regular season as the best team in the NBA with a franchise-record 68 wins, are heavily favored at -350 odds at BetMGM. This is the first time in the Thunder's history that they have been favored in a conference finals, and it's also the biggest favorite the combined Seattle SuperSonics/Oklahoma City Thunder franchise has been in a conference finals since 1967.
The Timberwolves, who had to adjust to a pre-training camp trade that sent Karl-Anthony Towns to the New York Knicks, have found their footing in the playoffs, beating the Los Angeles Lakers and Golden State Warriors in five games each. However, their journey to the Western Conference Finals has been a tough one, and they will be facing a formidable opponent in the Thunder.
Handicappers Michael Fiddle and Carl Sack have shared their thoughts on the Thunder-Wolves series and their best bets. Fiddle is confident in the Thunder's chances, but he also believes that playing the NBA Finals future is the best bet due to both teams' matchup advantages against Eastern Conference opponents. He likes the Thunder to win the title at -160 or better, and he thinks that Chet Holmgren's performance will be a key factor in determining the outcome of the series. If Holmgren plays equal or better than Julius Randle, he believes the Thunder will have a resounding win.
On the other hand, Sack is hesitant to make a prediction too far in advance, but he leans towards the Timberwolves due to their rest differential. He believes that the extra days of preparation mentally and physically will give Minnesota an edge over the Thunder, who are coming off a Game 7 against Denver. He also makes a prediction on the total score, expecting it to be higher than the opening line of 213 or 214, now up to 218. He thinks that Minnesota's slower start to games and Oklahoma City's tendency to score more in the first half will lead to a higher-scoring game in the first half.
In summary, both handicappers have their own unique insights and predictions for the Thunder-Wolves series. Fiddle favors the Thunder due to their matchup advantages and Chet Holmgren's potential impact on the series, while Sack leans towards the Timberwolves due to their rest differential and expected higher scoring game in the first half. The excitement for this Western Conference Finals is palpable, and fans can't wait to see which team will come out on top.
