Category: NBA

Oklahoma City was expected to be here before the season even tipped off. Minnesota traded fan favorite Karl-Anthony Towns away for Julius Randle right before the season — in a trade all about saving money — but they are back in the Western Conference Finals for the second straight year. And they may be better this time around.

When does the Timberwolves vs. Thunder begin?

Denver travels to Oklahoma City for Game 1 of the series on Tuesday, May 20, with an 8:30 ET tip-off. The rest of the series goes every other day after that.

Denver vs. Oklahoma City Playoffs Schedule 2025

All times are Eastern (* = if necessary)
Game 1: Timberwolves vs. Thunder; Tues., May 20 (8:30 ET, ESPN)
Game 2: Timberwolves vs. Thunder; Thurs., May 22 (8:30 ET, ESPN)
Game 3: Thunder vs. Timberwolves; Sat., May 24 (8:30 ET, ABC)
Game 4: Thunder vs. Timberwolves; Mon., May 26 (8:30 ET, ESPN)
Game 5: Timberwolves vs. Thunder; Wed., May 28 (8:30 ET, ESPN)*
Game 6: Thunder vs. Timberwolves; Fri., May 30 (8:30 ET, ESPN)*
Game 7: Timberwolves vs. Thunder; Sun., June 1 (8 ET, ESPN)*

Players to watch

Jalen Williams

After scoring 20 points or more in all four of Oklahoma City's games against the Grizzlies in the first round, he struggled against the Nuggets. Shooting 37.5 percent from the field, J-Dub averaged 17.6 points, 5.4 rebounds, 6.0 assists, 1.4 steals, 0.9 blocks and 1.3 three-pointers per game. While Williams came through in Sunday's Game 7 victory, scoring 24 points on 10-of-17 shooting, consistent production will be critical against the red-hot Timberwolves. With Shai Gilgeous-Alexander likely being occupied with Jaden McDaniels, Williams' productivity will be key if the Thunder are to reach the NBA Finals for the first time since 2012.
—Raphielle Johnson, Rotoworld basketball analyst

Rudy Gobert

After spending the first two series matched up with Jaxson Hayes and Trayce Jackson-Davis, Gobert is set to have a much tougher matchup in the conference finals. He’ll have to deal with both Isaiah Hartenstein and Chet Holmgren while still helping out on drives from OKC’s guards, specifically Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Outside of having 27 points and 24 rebounds in Minnesota’s Game 5 closeout win over the Lakers, Gobert hasn’t had many strong performances during this postseason. However, this series will be a more important matchup for him. SGA is second to Cade Cunningham with 19.5 drives per game during the playoffs, and as a team, OKC leads all teams in passes out of drives during the postseason with 22.4 per game. However, if the defense cracks, those passes will become layups instead. Gobert is going to have to dominate the paint during this series for Minnesota to advance to the Finals for the first time in franchise history.
—Noah Rubin, Rotoworld basketball analyst

Keys to watch for in Minnesota vs. Oklahoma City

Turnovers

Minnesota gets a little loose with the ball and has a propensity for turning it over; they did so on 13% of their possessions in the regular season (10th highest percentage in the league). In the playoffs, that has jumped up slightly to 13.6%. No team has forced more turnovers in the playoffs than the Thunder, doing so on 15.7% of opponent possessions.

Ask Denver what happens when you turn the ball over against the Thunder.

The Timberwolves have to take care of the ball in the face of the most on-ball pressure and steal-happy team in the league. Things will turn quickly and get ugly if they don’t, and Minnesota can’t afford to give away games in this series.

Lu Dort on Anthony Edwards

This is so much fun. Dort is one of (if not THE) best on-ball defenders in the league, he is physical and disruptive. Anthony Edwards is the All-NBA engine of the Timberwolves' offense and a guy who can pull up and knock down the 3 or be physical attacking the rim. This is a matchup for the ages.

Minnesota will make a point of trying to switch Dort off of Ant, but there are two challenges with that: 1) Nobody in the league fights over screens and sticks with his assigned man like Dort; 2) There are no pigeons in the OKC core rotation, there is not some easy target to switch on to and attack. Edwards could try to go after Holmgren, but he has the length and speed to challenge shots at the rim or the arc.

Julius Randle/Chet Holmgren

Which big man gives his lead guard enough support?

Randle has done that this postseason, averaging 23.9 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 5.9 assists a game. It took time (most of the season) for Randle to figure out how to play off Ant and next to Rudy Gobert, but when he did, it supercharged the Timberwolves.

This is a much better matchup for Holmgren, with Daigneault likely going with him as the only big for extended stretches (something that he couldn’t do as much against Jokic). Holmgren is averaging 15.7 points and 9.7 rebounds a game, plus 2.2 blocks a night in these playoffs, but the Thunder are hoping to get more out of him in this series.
—Kurt Helin, NBC Sports lead NBA writer

Predictions

Jay Croucher (NBC Sports Lead Betting Analyst): Thunder in 6

This series may be Anthony Edwards' reckoning. Oklahoma City will force Edwards to make sped-up decisions, and Edwards hasn't proved he can problem solve at the highest level (4.5 assists per game to 3.2 turnovers per game this season). Minnesota has a turnover issue and OKC's defense is one of the greatest of all time at creating and punishing turnovers.

Drew Dinsick (NBC Sports Betting Analyst): Thunder in 4

I'm looking at a Thunder sweep as the most likely result in the Western Conference Finals and have them around an 87% to advance to the NBA Finals. This is a perfect matchup for them on both sides of the ball, in my opinion, and I am most interested to see if Daigneault continues to use the double-big lineup or elects to go small to put Gobert in harm's way. The defensive matchups for the Thunder against the Wolves' offense, and Ant in particular, look ideal, and projecting a rating in the 104s for Minnesota this series.

Kurt Helin (NBC Sports lead NBA writer): Thunder in 6

I never would have thought I’d type this sentence, but here we are: Minnesota is better this season with Randle instead of Towns. This is a balanced, athletic, big and physical team. This is also just a bad matchup for them. For me, it comes back to turnovers, the Timberwolves are going to cough the ball up too much under pressure to beat a Thunder team that is hitting its stride.

Jalen Williams went one step beyond. At least as far as the NBA is concerned.

After Williams and the Thunder turned the Paycom Center into their own house of fun in a Game 7 rout of the Nuggets, Williams got a trip to the podium for a postgame press conference after dropping 24 on Denver. However, Williams has been fined $25,000 by the NBA, not because of what he said at the press conference, but for what he wore. It wasn't a pair of baggy trousers, but rather a shirt from the 70s/80s British ska band Madness, which says "F*** art, let's dance."

It didn't matter that the press conference was in his house (in the middle of his street), the league has come down on Williams.

We'll see what he wears to his next press conference. You can't blame Williams for going all out when he dresses for games, he's sitting next to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander most of the time.

This Eastern Conference Finals brings some deep history, going back to Reggie Miller taunting Spike Lee and Patrick Ewing dominating games (but missing a clutch finger roll). But there's also history from a year ago, when the Pacers beat the Knicks in the second round in seven games. Will history repeat itself?

When does the Knicks vs. the Celtics begin?

New York travels to Indianapolis for Game 1 of the series on Wednesday, May 21, at 8 p.m. Eastern. The series goes almost every other day the rest of the way.

New York vs. Boston Playoffs Schedule 2025

All times are Eastern (* = if necessary)
Game 1: Pacers vs. Knicks; Wednesday, May 21 (8 p.m., TNT)
Game 2: Pacers vs. Knicks; Friday, May 23 (8 p.m., TNT)
Game 3: Knicks vs. Pacers; Sunday, May 25 (8 p.m., TNT)
Game 4: Knicks vs. Pacers; Tuesday, May 27 (8 p.m., TNT)
Game 5: Pacers vs. Knicks; Thursday, May 29 (8 p.m., TNT)*
Game 6: Knicks vs. Pacers; Saturday, May 31 (8 p.m., TNT)*
Game 7: Pacers vs. Knicks; Monday, June 2 (8 p.m., TNT)*

Players to watch

Myles Turner

Turner's had a pretty good postseason thus far, averaging 16.5 points, 6.0 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 2.5 blocks and 1.8 three-pointers per game, shooting 50.9 percent from the field and 80.4 percent from the foul line. However, Karl-Anthony Towns will be a more difficult matchup for the Pacers center than Brook Lopez (Milwaukee) or Jarrett Allen (Cleveland) were in the first two rounds. On one hand, it must be acknowledged that Indiana has been one of the NBA's best teams since the calendar turned to 2025. However, they had no answer for Towns in the teams' three meetings, two of which occurred in 2024. In the lone 2025 meeting, Towns went for 40 points, 12 rebounds, five assists, three steals and three three-pointers, shooting 14-of-23 from the field. If the Pacers are to win this series, Turner will have to hold serve with Towns.
—Raphielle Johnson, Rotoworld basketball analyst

Bennedict Mathurin

In a matchup between two teams with loaded starting lineups, depth should end up being a big factor. Bennedict Mathurin had a lot of success against New York during the regular season, and his instant offense could be the difference for Indiana. In three games against the Knicks this year, Mathurin averaged 25.3 points per game, which led all Pacers players. Through the first two rounds of the playoffs, Indiana has shot an absurd (and likely unsustainable) 50.1 percent from the floor and 40.6 percent on three-pointers. Mathurin had some strong performances against Milwaukee and Cleveland, but he also had some games where he didn't provide much. Having him at his best on offense will open things up for Indiana against a tough New York defense that has the fifth-best defensive rating in the playoffs.
—Noah Rubin, Rotoworld basketball analyst

Keys to watch for in New York vs. Indiana

1) Pace

It's simplistic to say the Pacers want to run and the Knicks want to slow the game down — Indiana was top 10 in the league in offense started in transition in the regular season, New York was bottom 10 — but not totally accurate. In the playoffs, especially as teams have geared up to slow the Pacers in transition, the two teams have had about the same amount of offense started on the break.

The Knicks are actually at their best on offense when they force turnovers (or get stops) then get out and run, but they need to be selective with that in this series — if it's a track meet, Indy will win.

Pace, however, is more than running — Indiana is quicker in the halfcourt and uses that to get shots. Haliburton collapses defenses and finds the open man, but Indiana cuts and moves the ball far faster than the Knicks, and that will test New York's defense (both the Celtics and Pistons offenses are more station-to-station, the Pacers are a new kind of test). While New York moves the ball, its offense is more Brunson (and sometimes Towns) based, they can pound the ball a lot. If the Pacers get the ball flying around in the halfcourt and get clean looks because of that, it's a huge advantage.

2) Which team defends the paint better?

Both the Knicks and the Pacers were top-10 in the NBA in chasing teams off the 3-point line this season, but the cost came in allowing points in the paint (both teams were in the bottom half of the league in that stat, but the Pacers were 26th and much worse).

Whichever team does a better job of taking away those easy looks inside on drives (or in transition) will have a considerable advantage.

This is where Mitchel Robinson comes in. He didn't play in any of the meetings between these teams in the regular season and he has been the playoff X-factor for New York and will continue to be so in this series.

Rebounding is a part of the battle in the paint. Indiana has struggled on the glass in the playoffs while the Robinson-led Knicks have been beasts. Indiana has to focus on keeping New York off the glass and getting easy putback buckets.

3) Which team thrives in the clutch?

Comebacks and clutch plays could well decide this series — and both teams have thrived in them these playoffs.

New York was down 20 to Boston on the road in each of the first two games of the last series and came back to win. Indiana has three comebacks of at least 19 points to win this postseason.

Jalen Brunson has done this:

While Tyrese Haliburton has done this:

Multiple games in this series are going to come down to the wire, and it's going to be spectacular.
—Kurt Helin, NBC Sports lead NBA writer

Predictions

Jay Croucher (NBC Sports Lead Betting Analyst): Pacers in 6

From January 1 to regular season end, Indiana had the 5th-best net rating in the NBA, and a +11.5 net rating when Haliburton and Siakam shared the court. The Pacers might be a juggernaut hiding in plain sight. Indiana's pace and ball movement stand in contrast to New York's relative lack of creativity on offense.

Drew Dinsick (NBC Sports Betting Analyst): Pacers in 6

My series price is dead even, and the most likely outcome by my numbers is Pacers 4-2 (at 17%). Pacers plus the points in Game 1 is also a bet for me. Pacers have the best offensive player in the series with Haliburton (narrowly edges Brunson with a 99th percentile oEPM) and they have the two best defensive players with Nembhard and Siakam (95th and 91st percentile dEPM, respectively). I give the coaching edge to Indiana as well.

Brad Thomas (NBC Sports Betting Analyst): Pacers in 7

There's no reason to continue to doubt the Pacers. The Bucks did it, as well as the Cavaliers. Now they have the "overrated" moniker as their motto. Doubt them if you want but this is a crazy talented team.

Their biggest knock all season was their inability to play defense. However, the last month and a half of the season they were one of the best defensive units in the NBA.

They are a lethal offense with a floor general who gets others going and can find his own shot.

That's not a knock on the Knicks. It just feels like a massive let down after knocking off the defending NBA Champs. The price on the Pacers to win the East is too good to pass up.

Kurt Helin (NBC Sports lead NBA writer): Knicks in 7

This series is a coin flip. I came very close to picking the Pacers in 6, and that legitimately could happen — Indiana has more depth and more versatility than New York, and a coach in Rick Carlisle who knows how to exploit that. What is underrated about the Pacers is not Haliburton but their defense.

The Knicks bring size and a little more physicality, and in this postseason, that has generally won out. I think it will here, with Towns and Robinson being the keys that get New York back to the NBA Finals for the first time since Ricky Martin's "Livin' La Vida Loca" topped the charts.

Opening weekend in the WNBA has come and gone with eight matchups taking place in the first three days of the regular season.

History was made with the first WNBA regular season game ever being played at the Chase Center for Valkyries vs. Sparks and the Liberty watched their first-ever championship banner hit the Barclays Center rafters.

But history couldn’t occur without also some major drama. All of the talk in WNBA circles right now is the aftermath of the Fever’s home opener against rival the Sky where Caitlin Clark committed a take foul on Angel Reese and as a result the WNBA opened an investigation into hate comments within Indiana’s Gainbridge Fieldhouse toward Reese. This all comes just days after the league announced their new campaign “No Space for Hate” a platform meant to target instances like these.

Once again the WNBA is enduring narratives questioning the league’s physicality following the flagrant foul from Clark and Reese’s subsequent reaction. Former WNBA player Chiney Ogwumike hopped onto ESPN’s First Take to explain that hate shouldn’t be tolerated in basketball and that the flagrant foul was a part of the game.

She explained that she saw tension between the Liberty’s Jonquel Jones and Chelsea Gray of the Aces in New York and then technicals flew in Connecticut after Washington’s Shakira Austin and Connecticut's Kariata Diaby were battling for position.

”This happens in the WNBA,” she said. “The WNBA is what a lot of people celebrate the NBA for embracing right now. It’s a physical league. This had gasoline because it had two megastar players, household names, but my number one theory is if the players are unbothered we should be too.”

In addition to drama, there was some injury news that rocked the league within its first few days of play. Sparks wing Rae Burrell lasted 41 seconds in the Sparks first game of the season before going down with an injury where she couldn’t put a lot of weight on her right knee. The Sparks expect Burrell to miss anywhere from six-to-eight weeks. So she’ll be out for a couple of months. Also, the Phoenix Mercury announced that franchise face Kahleah Copper got a left knee arthroscopy and gave her a four-to-six week timetable to return to basketball activities. Phoenix’s center Natasha Mack injured her back and will also be out for two-to-three weeks.

Anyway, the league's first weekend also produced a ton of impressive rookie performances especially coming from Washington duo in forward KiKi Iriafin and wing Sonia Citron. In two regular season games, Iriafin has established herself as the Mystics’ second option to Brittney Sykes. And Citron has had a slew of welcome to the league moments, but that hasn’t gotten her too rattled. In two games she averaged 17 points, 2.5 assists, 1.5 rebounds, shooting 64.7 % from the field and 40 % from three equating to 25 fantasy points.

Speaking of the Mystics, they shockingly remain 2-0 heading into the first full week of play. Will that continue?

WNBA Player News

Check out Rotoworld’s newly-launched WNBA Player News section, the best place to keep up to date with transactions, injuries, and game results around the W this season!

Here are five matchups to watch in the WNBA’s first full week of regular season play:

Atlanta Dream @ Indiana Fever

(Tuesday, May 20 at 7 p.m. ET on NBA TV)

This is the first of two games in a home-and-home series between the Dream and the Fever. Atlanta is looking to bounce back after a 94-90 loss to the Washington Mystics where Atlanta struggled to defend and allowed Washington to shoot 50.8 % from the field. Head coach Karl Smesko explained postgame that in training camp his focus was more on the offense and he wasn’t surprised that his team’s defense struggled. I highlight this first matchup because I’ll be really curious to see how Brittney Griner matches up against Aliyah Boston, a matchup Boston has historically struggled with because of Griner’s strength, size and length. While Indiana’s defense was lauded for how it played against the Chicago Sky, it’s worth remembering the backcourt personnel the Fever were defending. A strength of Atlanta’s are their more dynamic guards in Rhyne Howard and Allisha Gray who are better one-on-one shot creators than Chicago’s Ariel Atkins and Courtney Vandersloot.

Dallas Wings @ Minnesota Lynx

(Wednesday, May 21 at 8 p.m. ET on WNBA League Pass)

Paige Bueckers will return to home state Minnesota to play her first game as a pro in the arena she grew up going to against the team she grew up watching. While the Lynx won this first matchup on Friday handily 99-84 after a competitive three quarters, Bueckers will look to show out against her personal home crowd in Minneapolis. I’ll be curious to see what adjustments first-year head coach Chris Koclanes makes to counter the Lynx’s aggressive ball-pressure which is what Koclanes thought hindered the pace of the Wings’ offense. While the sample size is limited, after two games played, the Lynx are the third worst rebounding team in the league. What does Dallas do to take advantage? But also even if Bueckers comes out with a more dominant stat line, Wednesday night is the Lynx’s home opener. Sure the Minnesota crowd will welcome back Bueckers, but that doesn’t mean they’ll be rooting for her.

Golden State Valkyries @ Los Angeles Sparks

(Friday, May 23 at 10 p.m. ET on ION)

Not only are the Valkyries the first WNBA expansion franchise to play in 17 seasons, but they also give the W its first same state matchup since the Sacramento Monarchs folded in 2009. On opening night these two teams played in San Francisco and the Sparks won 84-67 pretty decisively on the back of new franchise player Kelsey Plum who had a historic night scoring 37 points (11-of-19 shooting), two rebounds, six assists, five steals and four three-pointers in her Sparks debut. How does Valkyries head coach Natalie Nakase attempt to neutralize Plum who she coached for years in Las Vegas as an assistant? Nakase, an Anaheim native and UCLA alumna, will return home to LA for her very first game coaching at the helm. To defeat the Sparks in this second matchup, the Valkyries will have to get out more in transition as in game one they only had nine fast break points to the Sparks’ 17.

Phoenix Mercury @ Seattle Storm

(Friday, May 23 at 10 p.m. ET on ION)

While this matchup will be on at the exact same time as Valkyries vs. Sparks, I recommend watching both on multiview. The Storm were smacked 81-59 by the Mercury in the season opener on Saturday. How will Seattle respond to that in their home opener against the same team on Friday? Storm head coach Noelle Quinn explained that she believed her team didn’t get downhill enough in that first game against the Mercury, and didn’t put themselves in position to get shots at the rim. Phoenix appeared fine without Copper as superstars Alyssa Thomas and Satou Sabally took the brunt of the scoring load. The only other double-digit scorer for Phoenix was undrafted rookie guard Lexie Held who had 11 points (4-of-9 shooting), two rebounds, three assists and a three-pointer in her WNBA debut. Will that be enough for Phoenix in Game 2 against the Storm? We’ll have to watch to find out.

New York Liberty @ Indiana Fever

(Saturday, May 24 at 1 p.m. ET on CBS)

New York and Indiana had strong opening weekend debuts against their natural rivals in Las Vegas and Chicago. With two of the strongest schemers in the league in New York’s Sandy Brondello and Indiana’s Stephanie White going up against each other, this is bound to be a high level basketball game. Brondello has coached both new Fever acquisitions in DeWanna Bonner and Natasha Howard. And White helped create a scheme that neutralized Breanna Stewart and Sabrina Ionescu during multiple WNBA semifinal games during her tenure in Connecticut coaching the Sun. A matchup to watch will be following how Natasha Cloud defends Clark and how the Liberty use their length to their advantage to stop Indiana’s second most reliable option in Kelsey Mitchell. Expect Leonie Fiebich to take on this assignment. Another matchup to pay attention to will be Jonquel Jones vs. Aliyah Boston, two very physical centers who have previously frustrated each other with physicality and frustration over who’s getting calls and who’s not. Expect this game to be physical with a ton of threes taken. That’s how some of the best WNBA games are meant to be.

Welcome to the NBA's changing of the guard.

We're down to four teams, the NBA's conference finals, and the old guard is out. No LeBron James, Stephen Curry, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Kevin Durant (his team didn't even make the postseason), or even a Jayson Tatum in sight.

There is still plenty of star power — the next generation is rising. Here are the top 10 players still playing as the NBA conference finals begin.

1) Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Oklahoma City)

If he wasn't going to be on top of these power rankings before, he cemented his grip on the top spot Sunday with 35 points to lead the Thunder in a close-out Game 7 — the best performer stepped up on the biggest stage.

" You know who this is? The MVP," Chet Holmgren said, standing next to Gilgeous-Alexander in the team's walk-off interview after the win.

SGA is averaging 29 points, 6.4 assists and 5.9 rebounds a game in the playoffs, all while playing high-level defense and pitching in 1.5 steals a night. This is the best player on the best team remaining, and he is the best player left in the postseason.

2) Jalen Brunson (New York)

Sometimes a player wins one of the NBA's postseason awards, then goes out in the playoffs and shows exactly why — Jalen Brunson was voted the NBA's Clutch Player of the Year and has more than lived up to that in these playoffs.

Brunson is averaging 28.8 points and 7.7 assists a game for the Knicks this postseason, he is the engine of their playoff offense. The Knicks' offense falls off a cliff when Brunson is not on the court (New York has a 97.1 net rating when he is off the court this postseason, 18.7 points less than when he is on). Brunson has secured his Knicks legend status, which will only grow if he can lead New York to the NBA Finals.

3) Anthony Edwards (Minnesota)

We have been able to watch Edwards grow throughout these playoffs, to figure out the mental side of the game and take a step forward with each game. Golden State has a quality defense that threw different looks at him, and you could see him figuring out how to handle and attack them in real time. Edwards continues down the path to becoming one of the true faces of the league.

These playoffs, Edwards is averaging 26.5 points, 8 rebounds, and 5.9 assists a game, shooting 38.5% on 3-pointers (and taking 9.1 a game). Edwards is not done being tested by strong defenses — Lu Dort, Alex Caruso and the Oklahoma City Thunder are on another level, and Edwards being able to take care of the ball will be a key stat in that series.

4) Tyrese Haliburton (Indiana)

The focus coming into the last round was all the stars on the Cleveland Cavaliers, but while they stumbled through the series it was Haliburton who was the best player on the floor. Through the playoffs, he is averaging 17.5 points, 9.3 assists, and 5.5 rebounds a game, but the numbers (especially his 33.8% shooting from 3) don't tell the story — he is the conductor of a high-paced symphony of an offense. Also, he's been as clutch as Brunson this postseason.

And don't forget this one:

5) Julius Randle (Minnesota)

Minnesota is in the Western Conference Finals because Julius Randle outplayed Draymond Green in the last round.

"I lost my matchup," Green said after the Timberwolves eliminated the Warriors. "Julius was incredible. He played great basketball. Honestly, some of the shots he was taking were shots you want him to take, and he made them. He made the shots. At the end of the day, the game comes down to shotmaking and he made the shots. So I got to give Ju a lot of credit."

Randle is averaging 23.9 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 5.9 assists a game this postseason. It took most of the regular season for Randle and Rudy Gobert to figure out how to fit next to each other, but they do now and the Timberwolves are a threat because of it.

6) Karl-Anthony Towns (New York)

Towns has already had a strong playoffs, averaging 19.9 points and 11.3 rebounds a game. With Mitchel Robinson healthy, the Knicks have two dominant bigs on the floor, which has been a big part of what has fueled them to this point.

Towns' biggest days may be ahead of him: He averaged 30.3 points and 12 rebounds a game against the Pacers this season, having some of his best nights of the regular season, including a 40-point, 12-rebound game after the All-Star break. He will need to do that again if the Knicks are going to advance.

7) Pascal Siakam (Indiana)

Siakam is arguably the most underrated player in the NBA, and he has experience on this stage that his team needs. Don't forget that he has a ring from Toronto. Siakam knows what is required in order to win at this level, and how to do so next to a red-hot superstar.

Siakam is averaging 18.8 points and 6.2 rebounds a game these playoffs, numbers close to what he did during Toronto's title run (19 points and 7.1 rebounds), plus he is a quality defender who gives Rick Carlisle options in slowing New York's attack.

8) Jalen Williams (Oklahoma City)

Williams has been incredibly inconsistent this postseason, but when the Thunder have needed him most he has stepped up, like his 24 points and +35 performance in Game 7 against Denver. For the playoffs, Williams is averaging 21.6 points, 5.3 rebounds and 5.1 assists a game. The Thunder need Williams to be more consistent in this series and especially in the NBA Finals (if they advance).

9) Myles Turner (Indiana)

Myles Turner was tough against the Cavaliers. Going up against a physical and impressive front court of Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley, Turner was the best big on the floor — and often the most physical — in helping spark the Indiana win. Turner is averaging 16.5 points and 6 rebounds a game, but most importantly, 2.5 blocked shots a game. He has been a force in the paint and needs to be again when facing Brunson and friends.

10) Chet Holmgren (Oklahoma City)

Much like Jalen Williams, Holmgren has not been consistent or efficient as the Thunder need this postseason (which is why this spot almost went to Andrew Nembhard of the Pacers), but he's done just enough to earn it. Holmgren is averaging 15.7 points and 9.7 rebounds a game, plus 2.2 blocks a night in these playoffs. He's a big presence in the paint who needs to have a big series against the size of Minnesota if OKC is to advance.

The NBA prioritizes parity over dynasties, and with that the path to repeat as NBA champions is intentionally difficult. The NBA is also set up to make it incredibly difficult to keep a contending team together for any reasonable length of time. That is especially true in the tax aprons era of the latest CBA.

The Boston Celtics have run headlong into the wall of both of those realities, which is why change is coming this summer.

The only question is how much.

How Boston got here

Boston was riding high after last season’s NBA title, so it didn’t make many changes last summer and ran it back, which was the right thing to do. Throw in the franchise sale and the decision was made to punt on the big financial questions for a year, knowing the price tag to continue down that path would eventually get too steep. Look at it this way: To bring back Boston’s starting five for next season (2025-26) would cost about $188 million, and the second apron of the luxury tax is expected to be $207.8 million. To keep this full Celtics roster together next season would set a record of more than $500 million in payroll and luxury tax (including a steep repeater tax that kicks in).

There had been buzz around the league for more than a year that the Celtics would have to trade away a core player or two to save money this coming summer, and that was before Tatum tore his Achilles and cast a shadow over next season.

This year, the Celtics were bounced from the playoffs much earlier than expected, in the second round at the hands of the New York Knicks. Part of that was this Boston team that leaned even more heavily into 3-pointers than the championship squad — 53.6% of their shot attempts were from beyond the arc during the season. Even with a top-five defense and a team that still scored well around the rim when they got there, this team was at the mercy of 3-point variance. When Orlando came out with a plan in the first round of the playoffs to take away those 3-point attempts (a model New York followed), it put the Celtics on their back foot and they had some less-than-stellar games.

Bad luck also played a role in the early exit. There was Kristaps Porzingis’ respiratory illness slowing him, Jaylen Brown playing through a torn meniscus, and then Jayson Tatum’s torn Achilles. That last injury leads to the big question before Brad Stevens and the Celtics’ brass heading into this offseason:

How big a change does Boston make?

If Tatum were healthy, we likely would have seen Boston move away from one (maybe two) rotation players, replace them with younger or minimum-contract players, and hope that the depth would hold out. That is still an option, perhaps even the most likely one.

Or, the Celtics can treat next season more as a “gap year” — not trying to lose, but accepting it may not be a championship season — giving them more time to be aggressive and retool the roster to contend with Tatum once he’s healthy. How many moves the Celtics make and who will be sent out depends on how Stevens answers the “how big” question.

Let’s look at players who could be on the move.

Jrue Holiday/Derrick White

We’re combining the guards because it was already expected that one of them would be out the door, even before Tatum’s injury.

Holiday is more likely to be moved, according to league sources. Holiday will be 35 next season and has three years, $104 million left on his contract, starting at $32.4 million. He’s a proven, winning two-way point guard who will draw interest — there are teams like Orlando where Holiday would be a fantastic fit — but with his age and contract, this is not an easy deal to make. The Celtics may need to attach a second-round pick or something else of value to get another team to take on that contract.

While rumors are flying around Holiday, he made it clear, speaking to reporters at his exit interview, he wants to stay in Boston and compete for a title.

“We still have a really, really great opportunity and a great window to be successful and win a championship again,” Holiday said. “I think the talent that we have on this team, not only on the court, but the coaching staff all the way up to Brad, has been amazing. So, the opportunity to win is now, and I still want to be a part of that.”

White, who will be 31 next season, has four years, $118 million remaining on his contract. That deal may be too good to trade away, other teams will ask but they will have to blow away Boston with an offer to make it a reality.

Kristaps Porzingis

He has an expiring $30.7 million contract and is the kind of stretch big in high demand all over the league. He’s also coming off two straight playoffs where he missed time due to injury, and he has been out for 65 regular-season games since coming to Boston.

The Celtics will make calls to try and find a new home for Porzingis, but the market for him is not that deep, especially at that price tag. Again, the Celtics might have to attach another player or a pick to move on from him.

Jaylen Brown

It would be devastating to the fan base — and the ultimate example of why the new CBA with its aprons is bad for fans who want to watch their team draft a player and win with him — but the Celtics have to at least consider trading him this summer.

Brown is 28, in his prime, and next season his five-year, $285.4 million contract kicks in. It's going to be expensive to keep Brown and Tatum together and have enough around them to contend, which is why if a team like Houston (with good young players and picks) calls and wants to talk Brown trade, Stevens has to consider it.

Brown isn't looking to move on. He talked about playing through his meniscus injury and his desire to come back and win in Boston after the team was eliminated.

“Losing to the Knicks feels like death,” Brown said. “But I was always taught that there’s life after death, so we’ll get ready for whatever’s next in the journey. I’ll be ready for it.”

“I’m looking forward to coming back stronger, so you just take this with your chin up,” Brown added. “I know Boston, it looks gloomy right now, obviously with JT being out and us kind of ending the year, but it’s a lot to look forward to. I want the city to feel excited about that. This is not the end, so I’m looking forward to what’s next.”

Luke Kornet

Kornet is a free agent this summer who will have better offers from other teams than the Celtics are willing to pay. It’s difficult to see how Boston can afford to bring him back, unless there is room after a major move this summer. Kornet had a strong Game 5, and that should help him get a deal in a spot where he will get more run.

Al Horford

Horford is a free agent who will be 39 next season. He’s still good enough that will be a contract for him if he wants to play, but it won’t be in Boston.

Tatum talked about retirement at his exit interview.

"I'm going to take some time here with my wife and my kids," Horford said. "There's still a lot for me to process, feeling everything out from last night -- that was difficult.”

On Thursday, May 22, the Minnesota Timberwolves (49-33) and Oklahoma City Thunder (68-14) are all set to square off from Paycom Center in Oklahoma City for Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals.

Oklahoma City closeout Denver in Game 7 at home, 125-93 behind Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's 35 points and exquisite defense from Alex Caruso and company. The Thunder will have a quick turnaround with a few days off to host the Timberwolves who last played on May 14.

Minnesota beat Golden State in five games after Steph Curry went down with an injury in Game 2. The Timberwolves beat the Lakers in five games over the first round, so Minnesota has a clear rest advantage. The Timberwolves won four-straight games to close out the Warriors series, but it's worth noting that both OKC and Minnesota are 1-1 in Game 1's this postseason.

The Timberwolves are currently 24-17 on the road with a point differential of 5, while the Thunder have an 8-2 record in their last ten games at home. We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on how to catch tipoff, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.

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Game details & how to watch Timberwolves vs. Thunder live today

• Date: Thursday, May 22, 2025
• Time: 8:30 PM EST
• Site: Paycom Center
• City: Oklahoma City, OK
• Network/Streaming: ESPN

Never miss a second of the action and stay up to date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day NBA schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game.

Game odds for Timberwolves vs. Thunder

The latest odds as of Thursday:

• Odds: Timberwolves (+245), Thunder (-305)
• Spread:  Thunder -7.5
• Over/Under: 215.5 points

That gives the Timberwolves an implied team point total of 103.5, and the Thunder 111.5

Want to know which sportsbook is offering the best lines for every game on the NBA calendar? Check out the NBC Sports’ Live Odds tool to get all the latest updated info from DraftKings, FanDuel, BetMGM & more!

Expert picks & predictions for Thursday’s Timberwolves vs. Thunder game

NBC Sports Bet Best Bet Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports) likes the Thunder in 7 games, but is fading their team total in Game 1:

"Oklahoma City doesn't have any favors with limited rest as they take on Minnesota in the Conference Finals. The Thunder are almost -400 favorites to win the series and while they've been the best team in the West all year — there is a chance Minnesota gets a game or two in the first four.

I like the value of +370 to +400 on the Thunder to win in seven games compared to a gentleman's sweep of 4-1 for +300 (the favorite). I lean toward OKC 4-2 for +475 as my second choice.

With a little over a week of rest for Minnesota and OKC playing seven games in a grind of a series, I like the Thunder's Team Total Under 111.5 for Game 1. The Timberwolves held the Lakers to 95 points and the Warriors to 99 points in their two Game 1's. I would consider Minnesota ML as teams that likely cover win and that's the side I lean."

Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.

Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the NBA calendar based on data points like recent performance, head-to-head player matchups, trends information and projected game totals.

Once the model is finished running, we put its projections next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.

Here are the best bets our model is projecting for today’s Timberwolves & Thunder game:

• Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is staying away from a play on the Moneyline.
• Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Minnesota Timberwolves at +7.5.
• Total: NBC Sports Bet is staying away from a play on the Game Total of 215.5

Want even more NBA best bets and predictions from our expert staff & tools? Check out the Expert NBA Predictions page from NBC Sports for money line, spread and over/under picks for every game on today’s calendar!

Important stats, trends & insights to know ahead of Timberwolves vs. Thunder on Thursday

• Oklahoma City and Minnesota are 1-1 ATS and on the ML in Game 1's this postseason
• Minnesota has four straight games and is 4-1 on the road this playoffs
• Oklahoma City is 5-1 at home in the playoffs
• Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 31 or more points in three straight games
• Anthony Edwards and Julius Randle combined to average 58.8 PPG in the second round

If you’re looking for more key trends and stats around the spread, moneyline and total for every single game on the schedule today, check out our NBA Top Trends tool on NBC Sports!

Follow our experts on socials to keep up with all the latest content from the staff:

- Jay Croucher (@croucherJD)
- Drew Dinsick (@whale_capper)
- Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports)
- Brad Thomas (@MrBradThomas)