Recapping OKC Thunder's 2025 Western Conference Finals Against Minnesota Timberwolves

Winning is extremely difficult in the NBA. After losing three straight games against the 73-win Golden State Warriors in the 2016 Western Conference Finals, the Oklahoma City Thunder waited 3,278 days — over 283 million seconds — for its next opportunity in that round.

The 2024-25 Thunder earned a Conference Finals berth by getting through two vastly different playoff matchups. It swept the No. 8 Memphis Grizzlies in the first round, winning the two games in Oklahoma City by 70 combined points. Nikola Jokic, Aaron Gordon, Jamal Murray and the No. 4 Denver Nuggets, however, forced a Game 7 before the Thunder ran them out of the gym.

On the other side of the bracket, the No. 6 Minnesota Timberwolves took down Luka Doncic, LeBron James and the No. 3 Los Angeles Lakers in five games and beat the No. 7 Warriors four straight times. Golden State superstar Stephen Curry, who helped eliminate the Thunder nine years ago, suffered a left hamstring strain in Game 1 against Minnesota and did not return to the series.

The Timberwolves won 49 regular-season games and posted the No. 4 regular-season net rating (+5.0) last season. Seven Minnesota players who received rotation minutes during the Conference Finals recorded a positive estimated plus-minus, one more than Memphis and two more than Denver. They had regressed from the NBA's No. 1 defensive rating (108.4) to the No. 6 defense (110.8) but still possessed imposing personnel, headlined by 2023-24 Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert.

Oklahoma City continued to dominate at home, outscoring Minnesota by 30 second-half points in Game 1 on May 20 and riding Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's 38 points, eight assists and three steals to a 15-point Game 2 win two days later.

The Timberwolves handed the 68-win Thunder its largest regular-season loss (15 points) on Feb. 13, and they annihilated the No. 1 overall seed in Game 3, 143-101, for its largest postseason loss.

The Thunder advanced to its first NBA Finals in 13 years by pulling out a two-point Game 4 thriller and taking care of business again in Game 5, 124-94, on May 28. It improved to 8-1 at home and 4-0 after losses in the 2025 playoffs.

Comparing the Oklahoma City Thunder and Minnesota Timberwolves' points scored and points allowed, by game, during the 2025 Western Conference Finals. Dot size correlates positively with turnover differential. | Basketball Reference

Oklahoma City's three blowout wins, one close win and one blowout loss added up to a +31 point differential. The Thunder registered a lower turnover percentage in four games, a higher effective field goal percentage in three games, a higher free throw rate in three games and a higher offensive rebound percentage in one game.

The playoff Thunder lost the turnover battle for the first time in Game 3. The team with fewer giveaways won all five games.

Thunder Player of the Series: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

Gilgeous-Alexander, who was announced as the 2024-25 regular-season MVP between Games 1 and 2, added the Western Conference Finals MVP to his season collection. He averaged 31.4 points on 45.7% shooting, 8.2 assists, 5.2 rebounds (1.2 offensive), 1.8 steals in 36.2 minutes per game — and accumulated a series-high +43 plus-minus.

Oklahoma City's superstar played a nightmarish Game 3 but was the leading scorer across his other four outings, averaging a 9.3 box plus-minus and a 29.0 game score. Gilgeous-Alexander tallied 34 points on 14-for-25 shooting (2-for-4 3-pointers), eight assists, seven rebounds (one offensive), two steals and a +23 plus-minus in the close-out Game 5.

The seventh-year guard recorded his most eye-popping performance during the most important battle. He exploded for 40 points on 30 shots, 10 assists, nine rebounds (four offensive), and a steal in the Thunder's road Game 4 victory.

Timberwolves Player of the Series: Anthony Edwards

Edwards finished with a slightly better series than Julius Randle, although both players were too up-and-down for the Timberwolves' winning chances. In his second consecutive Conference Finals, Edwards averaged 23.0 points on 47.1% shooting, 7.4 rebounds (0.8 offensive), 4.6 assists, 0.6 blocks and 0.4 steals in 37.2 minutes per game.

The fifth-year guard registered a double-digit box plus-minus and at least a 25.0 game score in Games 2 and 3. Edwards totaled 32 points on 12-for-26 shooting, nine rebounds (two offensive), six assists and a block despite his team's Game 2 defeat.

Two days later, the 23-year-old racked up 30 points on 12-for-17 shooting (5-for-8 3-pointers), nine rebounds (one offensive), six assists, two steals and a +36 plus-minus in Minnesota's only win.

Memorable Game of the Series: Game 4

The Timberwolves tallied three more points off turnovers, four more paint points, six more points from downtown, six more free-throw points, eight more fast-break points, 37 more bench points and eight more assists ... and still lost Game 4 at home.

Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren, who each put together complete series, stepped up massively to help Gilgeous-Alexander. Williams posted 34 points on 13-for-24 shooting (6-for-9 3-pointers), five assists, three rebounds (two offensive) and three steals. Holmgren totaled 21 points on 9-for-14 shooting (2-for-4 3-pointers), seven rebounds (four offensive), three blocks, an assist and a steal.

Oklahoma City staved off incredible shotmaking from Minnesota, which shot 18-for-41 on triples. Reserve guards Donte DiVincenzo and Nickeil Alexander-Walker combined for 44 points on 26 shots, each shooting 5-for-8 from deep. Five Timberwolves and five Thunder players grabbed multiple offensive rebounds.

The Thunder was the Western Conference's best and most consistent team throughout the regular season. Oklahoma City proved itself as such by going 12-4 with a +10.8 average point differential against three quality opponents to secure the 2025 conference title.

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