- What: NBA Western Conference Finals
- When: May 20, 2025
- Who: Minnesota Thunder vs. OKC Thunder
- Time: 5:30 p.m. PST
- Where: Paycom Center (Oklahoma City, OK)
The top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder will face the sixth-seeded Minnesota Timberwolves in Game 1 of the 2025 NBA Western Conference finals on Tuesday.
After a grueling seven-game series, the Thunder defeated Denver and secured their spot in the conference finals. Now, they face the Timberwolves, who previously beat the Nuggets in a similarly intense series last year.
For Game 1 tonight, I’m leaning towards Minnesota. Despite Oklahoma City’s strong performances, I can’t justify this number.
Historically, home favorites coming off a Game 7 are 10-12 straight up (SU) and 6-15-1 (29%) since 2003. In the conference finals, they stand at 2-6 SU and 1-7 against the spread (ATS). I’m willing to bet against the Thunder.
I see the total at 217.5, as this series should be hard-fought and focused on defense. The Wolves can effectively lock down the paint, and Oklahoma City has defenders to contain Anthony Edwards.
While the trend favors the over for home favorites post-Game 7, I want to see how the series unfolds. The Wolves are a tough matchup for the Thunder, balancing their ability to force turnovers with strong three-point shooting.
With Minnesota getting two possessions and the Thunder in a tough position, I’ll take the points with the Wolves in Game 1 tonight.
Best Bet: Timberwolves +7.5 points at -115 odds
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Tony Reyes is a sports betting analyst and reporter for Dice City Sports. You can follow him on X @TonyParlay.
