The 2025 NBA Playoffs continue on Tuesday, May 20, with the start of the Western Conference Finals tonight in Oklahoma City.
The top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder host the sixth-seeded Minnesota Timberwolves in Game 1 at Paycom Center in what promises to be a gritty series that could go the distance.
The winner of this series will advance to the NBA Finals, with the New York Knicks and Indiana Pacers set to begin their battle for the East on Wednesday.
We’ve got the latest playoff bracket and a breakdown of tonight’s marquee matchup below.
Updated 2025 NBA Playoffs Bracket
It’s been a long road to the Conference Finals. This year’s NBA playoffs began over a month ago, with the defending champion Boston Celtics and the East’s top-seed Cleveland Cavaliers both falling in the semifinals.
While the NCAA Tournament has seen a growing divide between top seeds and the rest, the NBA Playoffs are now more of a bracket-busting affair, with the Thunder the only top-two seed still standing this year. Injuries played a role in the Cavs’ and Celtics’ exits — but momentum did too.
And the modern NBA is now about systems rather than superteams, with the Knicks’ swarming defense overwhelming the Celtics’ perimeter-oriented offense, and Indiana’s pace-and-space system dismantling the Cavaliers’ slow-tempo, paint-protecting approach.
Tuesday, May 20 – Western Conference Game 1 Preview
Minnesota Timberwolves at Oklahoma City Thunder
The top two defensive teams in the postseason now go head-to-head in the Western Conference Finals.
Oklahoma City leads all playoff teams in defensive rating, allowing just 101.6 points per 100 possessions. Minnesota is second, holding opponents to 106.8. Expect a tightly contested, physical series defined by stops, second-chance points, and clutch shot-making.
The Thunder arrive in Game 1 off a gritty, short-rest turnaround after taking down the Nuggets in a Game 7 rout. The Timberwolves, by contrast, enter well-rested after dispatching the Warriors in five games — giving them nearly a week to recover and prepare.
While both rosters are filled with young talent, this series features two MVP-caliber leaders: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Anthony Edwards.
Gilgeous-Alexander has been electric all postseason and averaged 35 points per game against Minnesota during the regular season. Edwards, meanwhile, has taken over games in the fourth quarter and is averaging 26.5 points per contest in the playoffs.
A key swing factor: Jalen Williams. He struggled through most of the Denver series, but his 24-point performance in the Game 7 blowout could mark a turning point. If Williams is clicking, Oklahoma City becomes extremely difficult to contain.
For Minnesota, the two-headed attack of Edwards and Julius Randle has powered their run. Randle has emerged as a steady scoring option and secondary playmaker, complementing Edwards’ explosiveness with physicality and presence inside.
These teams split their regular-season series 2–2, with Minnesota taking the most recent game — a 131–128 overtime thriller. With both sides locked in defensively and capable of late-game execution, this series has all the makings of a seven-game classic.
Series Prediction: Thunder in seven.
Time: 8:30 PM Eastern
Venue: Paycom Center, Oklahoma City, OK
TV: ESPN
Streaming: ESPN app and website, Hulu + Live TV, Sling, YouTube TV
Globely News covers the game changers transforming the worlds of business, sports, politics, and technology. From AI and electric vehicles to the rise of China and the NFL's next stars, we've got you covered.