The Oklahoma City Thunder look to secure their place in the NBA Finals as they host the Minnesota Timberwolves in Game 5 of the 2025 Western Conference Finals tonight at Paycom Center. Leading the series 3-1, the Thunder aim to reach the Finals for the first time since 2012. Following two home victories, Oklahoma faced defeat in Game 3, but managed to bounce back with a close 128-126 victory, thanks to a stellar 40-point game from NBA MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. The Thunder are favored by 8.5 points, with the over/under set at 220.5.

In the NHL, the reigning champions, the Florida Panthers, are once again facing the Carolina Hurricanes in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Final. The Panthers won three consecutive games to bring the series to 3-1 but faced a setback in Game 4, with Hurricanes goaltender Frederik Andersen shutting them out to prevent elimination. The Panthers are at -126 according to current betting lines.

Both matches feature prominently in today’s betting recommendations, along with a matchup in MLB between the Philadelphia Phillies and the Atlanta Braves. Key players include Zack Wheeler for Philly and AJ Smith-Shawver for Atlanta.

Top Betting Picks:

• NBA: Thunder -8.5
• NHL: Over 5.5 goals in Hurricanes-Panthers
• MLB: Rockies-Cubs Over 7.5

Expert Insights:

Sportsline projection models suggest that the Thunder are likely to win against the Timberwolves 67% of the time. Similarly, the Panthers are projected to win 54% of the time against the Hurricanes.