Minnesota Timberwolves vs. Oklahoma City Thunder: Series Picks and Predictions

The Western Conference has thrown up a number of surprises in the playoffs so far and now Oklahoma City Thunder prepare to face the Minnesota Timberwolves in the finals.

The Thunder may have finished top of the Conference, with the best record in the league, but they were taken the whole way by the Denver Nuggets in the semifinals.

In contrast, the Timberwolves eased past the Golden State Warriors 4-1 to reach back-to-back Western Conference Finals.

Chris Finch’s men have had extra time to prepare for the Finals, with a five-day break before the opening game at the Paycom Center.

The two franchises have met four times already this season, with both teams winning two of the matchups, the last of which was an overtime win for Minnesota in Oklahoma.

Minnesota Timberwolves vs. Oklahoma City Thunder series betting picks and predictions

Minnesota Timberwolves to win the series (+280)

There were 19 games separating the two teams during the regular season, with OKC losing just 14 of their 82 matchups.

Two of those defeats came against the Timberwolves though - losing 116-101 in Minnesota three months ago and going down 131-128 on their home court in February.

Minnesota have already beaten the Los Angeles Lakers and GSW enroute to the Western Finals and their record against OKC gives them a chance of making the NBA Finals for the first time.

The Thunder have the highest points-scorer in the league, but many will be asking whether they rely too heavily on Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.

The guard averaged 32.7 per game during the regular season, while his average in the playoffs has dropped to 29.0 during the 11 games to date.

Gilgeous-Alexander scored 30+ points in each of the last three games against the Nuggets and racked up 40 in a win over Minnesota in December.

Keeping the Canadian quiet is a big ask, but if the Timberwolves can limit his impact, they have every chance of springing another surprise.

Most Rebounds in the Series - Rudy Gobert (-150)

The experience of Rudy Gobert could prove crucial to Minnesota’s hopes, with the 32-year-old a regular in the post-season during his time with Utah and Minnesota.

The Frenchman has played no fewer than 79 playoff games during his career and finished this regular season seventh in the rebound stats.

Gobert averaged 10.9 rebounds per game and if the Timberwolves are to overturn the Thunder, he will need to be at his best in and around the paint.

Series Correct Score - Minnesota Timberwolves 4-2 (+850)

The OKC’s form on their home court makes the opening two games key to both sides’ hopes of reaching the NBA Finals.

If the Timberwolves are to claim the series win, they will probably need to wrap it up before Game Seven, which is slated for the Paycom Center.

It shouldn’t be forgotten that Minnesota also has an impressive record against teams in their own Conference, with Finch’s roster winning 33 of their 52 games against Western rivals.

Read more betting picks and predictions for the NBA on site.

Minnesota Timberwolves vs. Oklahoma City Thunder series odds

Minnesota Timberwolves	+280
Oklahoma City Thunder	-360

Read a full breakdown of bet365's odds and markets for Timberwolves vs. Thunder on site.

This article was written by a partner sports writer via Spotlight Sports Group. All odds displayed on this page were correct at the time of writing and are subject to withdrawal or change at any time.