Oklahoma City Thunder vs Minnesota Timberwolves – Preview & Prediction: Oklahoma City Thunder will play Minnesota Timberwolves in the NBA play-off.
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Oklahoma City Thunder vs Minnesota Timberwolves Preview
Oklahoma City Thunder played dominantly in the first game of the Western Conference Finals of the NBA and secured a 114–88 home win, taking a 1–0 lead over the Minnesota Timberwolves and putting themselves in a more favorable position. It seemed that fatigue and the grueling series against the Denver Nuggets would make things much harder for them, but that notion was quickly dispelled as the team made a strong opening statement. Now, they are just three steps away from reaching the NBA Finals, which would be a major achievement.
Oklahoma City Thunder dismantled the Minnesota Timberwolves in their trademark fashion. Just as the Memphis Grizzlies were taken apart at the start of the playoffs, followed by the Denver Nuggets in a hard-fought series, the next opponent now felt the full force of the Western Conference’s top seed. Minnesota Timberwolves were held to just 88 points, unable to match the intense physicality of Oklahoma City Thunder, which has been their hallmark for quite some time. Anthony Edwards particularly struggled, scoring only 18 points on 5-for-13 shooting, highlighting just how limited the Timberwolves were.
Minnesota Timberwolves were simply not ready for the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 1. After a relatively easy series win against the Golden State Warriors in the Western Conference Semifinals (4–1), they failed to carry that momentum into the Western Conference Finals opener. That’s not entirely surprising, as teams can lose their rhythm when they have to wait longer between series. Oklahoma City Thunder, on the other hand, remained in rhythm after their seven-game battle against the Denver Nuggets.
Minnesota Timberwolves disappointed in the series opener against Oklahoma City Thunder, playing well below expectations. The only player worth mentioning was Julius Randle with 28 points, although he also had five turnovers—further proof of Oklahoma City Thunder ability to play aggressive paint defense, even with smaller lineups, led by Alex Caruso. The bench contribution was particularly poor—Naz Reid shot 1-for-11, Donte DiVincenzo went 2-for-13 from three, and Nickeil Alexander-Walker shot 3-for-11 from the field. When all that’s taken into account, it’s clear what needs to improve for the upcoming matchup.
Claim Now Oklahoma City Thunder vs Minnesota Timberwolves H2H
Oklahoma City Thunder leads the series 1–0 against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Injuries and Suspensions
Nikola Topic will not play for Oklahoma City Thunder, while the Minnesota Timberwolves are at full strength.
Where to Watch Oklahoma City Thunder vs Minnesota Timberwolves?
Oklahoma City Thunder vs Minnesota Timberwolves Best Betting Tip and Prediction
Oklahoma City Thunder demonstrated in the first game just how superior they are to the Minnesota Timberwolves. Even in a situation where the home team had very little rest and it seemed they might come out drained against a tough opponent, they completely dismantled Minnesota. Simply put, Oklahoma City Thunder is dominant—and likely will be again in the next game.
Tip-off Time: Thursday, 8:30 p.m. EST, May 22nd
Prediction: Oklahoma City Thunder -6.5
Odds: 1.77
Sportsbook: BetLabel
*Odds are active at the time the article is published
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