The Oklahoma City Thunder are back in the NBA Finals for the first time since 2012 after eliminating the Minnesota Timberwolves in Game 5 of the Western Conference finals on Wednesday, winning the West for the first time in 13 years. The Thunder await either the Indiana Pacers or the New York Knicks in the 2025 NBA Finals which starts next Thursday in OKC. The Thunder, who won 68 games during the regular season and are now 12-4 in the playoffs, are heavily favored to win the title (-600 at Caesars Sportsbook).

The Thunder dominated the Wolves in Game 5, shooting out to a 17-point lead at the end of the first quarter and maintaining control throughout the game. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is now aiming to become the first player to secure the MVP award and an NBA championship in the same season since Stephen Curry achieved the feat in 2015.

In the Eastern Conference, the Pacers are one win away from joining the Thunder in the Finals. Indiana has an opportunity to finish off the ECF against the Knicks on Thursday night as New York hosts Game 5 at Madison Square Garden. The Pacers won two matches at MSG to start the series and added another victory in Tuesday’s Game 4.

The postseason has now been narrowed from 20 teams to just three. The Kings, Mavericks, Bulls, and Hawks were eliminated during the Play-In Tournament, while the Grizzlies, Clippers, Lakers, Rockets, Heat, Bucks, Pistons, and Magic were ousted in the first round. The Nuggets, Warriors, Cavaliers, and Celtics made it to the second round but were eliminated.

---

2025 NBA playoff bracket

2025 NBA bracket

Author: Keytron Jordan, CBS Sports