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THE MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES AND THE OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER
Twenty NBA teams played beyond the regular season.
Four remain.
The Western Conference finals begin tonight with the Timberwolves visiting the Thunder, and things get underway in the East finals tomorrow with the KnicksĀ hosting the Pacers, their second straight postseason facing off and a throwback to their many battles in the 1990s.
Our experts have made their West finals picks, and most like Oklahoma City. Jack Maloney explains his reasoning.
Maloney:āThunder in 6.Ā Itās reasonable to have some doubts about the Thunder after they needed seven games to dispatch the Nuggets, but they should be better off for getting through such a test against the best player in the world. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander rounded into MVP-level form late in that series, and their defense, which boasts numerous options to throw at Anthony Edwards, is truly on a different level.ā
But Edwards and Julius Randle have been on a rampage, and thatās why Jasmyn Wimbish ensures itās not a unanimous vote.
Wimbish:āTimberwolves in 7.Ā I watched a Thunder team still struggle to find consistent shot creation and scoring outside of SGA in the second round. Meanwhile, Edwards and Randle have been phenomenal this postseason. The Thunder struggled scoring in the halfcourt against a zone defense vs. Denver, and Iām sure Minnesota will show that at some point in this series.ā
Youāll notice this is a new batch of teams. The Timberwolves, Thunder and Pacers have never won an NBA title, and the Knicksā¦
Source link : https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/nba-nhl-playoff-expert-predictions-iconic-college-football-rivalry-now-at-risk/
Author : Zachary Pereles
Publish date : 2025-05-20 12:52:00
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