The Oklahoma City Thunder and Minnesota Timberwolves are the final two teams remaining in the West. As they battle in the Western Conference finals, both franchises are eyeing their first trip to the NBA Finals: the Thunder last appeared in 2012, while the Timberwolves have yet to reach this prestigious stage. The Thunder claimed victory in Game 1, dominating the Wolves 114-88.

Oklahoma City clinched the top seed in the West with an impressive 68-game regular season. They swept the Memphis Grizzlies in the first round and navigated a challenging second-round against Nikola Jokić and the Denver Nuggets, ultimately winning in seven games. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, a leading candidate for the NBA MVP, has been crucial, scoring 31 points in Game 1.

The Timberwolves are also in good form, with Anthony Edwards leading the charge as they continue their playoff journey after defeating the Los Angeles Lakers and Golden State Warriors in the previous rounds. They hope to improve upon last year’s disappointing conference finals exit against the Dallas Mavericks.

Here’s the schedule for the Western Conference finals:

• Game 1: Thunder 114, Timberwolves 88
• Game 2: Thursday, May 22, 8:30 PM ET, ESPN
• Game 3: Saturday, May 24, 8:30 PM ET, ABC
• Game 4: Monday, May 26, 8:30 PM ET, ESPN
• Game 5: Wednesday, May 28, 8:30 PM ET, ESPN (if necessary)
• Game 6: Friday, May 30, 8:30 PM ET, ESPN (if necessary)
• Game 7: Sunday, June 1, 8 PM ET, ESPN (if necessary)

Thunder vs. Timberwolves Odds

Odds via DraftKings

• Series odds: Thunder -650, Timberwolves +475
• Game 2 odds: Thunder -7.5, O/U 216

Best Bet for Game 2: Julius Randle averaged 12.6 points in the paint during the first two playoff rounds but only scored six in Game 1. Historically, teams aim to beat the Thunder with outside shooting, as evident in their strong defensive performance against high-scoring teams like the Nuggets. The recommendation is to bet on Randle scoring under 19.5 points.