2025 WESTERN CONFERENCE FINALS: #1 Oklahoma City Thunder vs #6 Minnesota Timberwolves (OKC leads 1-0)

[stuporman]

Has any team been the darling and villain of the league at the same time?

Read on Twitter

They’re only a darling to OKC fans and gen z teenage boys making endless memes about shais aura and outfits

People over 23 do not like this team

Darling of the league doesn't mean fan favorite, it's the league favorite and I'm sure Silver loves the idea of a small market, build it the right way type of team gets a title after the 'super team' era. Makes him feel like he's doing something right if there's a sense of parity in the league to justify his lottery and salary cap rules.

[___Rand___]

70-40 in the second half. Beatdown.

Pretty disappointed to watch as a neutral.

[multo]

Denver was their toughest opponent. I think this series will be shorter. We'll see.

[NiceLikeChrist]

Thats because he's not as good as Shai... Brunson definitely tries to flop just as much as him lol

Not as good at what? If Brunson had shais whistle he’d average 35

A lot of players would average over 30 if they had his whistle.

Dude, Brunson isn't even in the same stratosphere as Shai... just stop lol.

And I still think Brunson's great as hell even with his constant flopping.

Right. A guy averaging 29/8/4 on 44/36 isn’t in the same stratosphere as the guy averaging 29/6/6 on 48/29

Not to mention one roster is better than the other and are empowered by the stripes.

[Capn'O]

This OKC team ain’t no joke man

Heavy, heavy favorites at this point. People seem to forget just how dominant they were this season after going seven with Denver. Reminds me a little bit of the Spurs back in 2014; their toughest series came in the first round and then they pretty much trucked everybody. I will be stunned if anybody takes more than two games off them from here on out.

Nuggets were playing really well until Gordon got hurt. Great test for OKC.

[DrModesty]

Ant at best the 5th best player in the game after SGA, Randle, Dub and Chet. He needs to step up 2 levels from this game.

[ForeverTFC]

Not as good at what? If Brunson had shais whistle he’d average 35

A lot of players would average over 30 if they had his whistle.

Dude, Brunson isn't even in the same stratosphere as Shai... just stop lol.

And I still think Brunson's great as hell even with his constant flopping.

Right. A guy averaging 29/8/4 on 44/36 isn’t in the same stratosphere as the guy averaging 29/6/6 on 48/29

Not to mention one roster is better than the other and are empowered by the stripes.

Ah yes. I see you can divide and count. Well done.

[guynumber45]

Ant man got shut down!!!!!!!

he doesn't belong here just how i don't belong in a ring with canelo or inoue

You need a dominant playmaking wing/big with the right supporting cast to break apart this OKC defense. Ironically, the pre-Luka trade Mavs would of been best equipped to attack OKC

[CobraCommander]

I love the okc post games - They took this one more seriously - but the crew lurked and then SGA went to the other interview

[CIN-C-STAR]

Jordan averaged 10 FTA per game in the playoffs. Just so we’re all on the same page.

Did he also grab defenders arms and then collapse to the ground for no reason?
Or push off defenders then kick them on his jumper while snapping his head back when they try to get back in the play to contest?
Just so we are on the same page

[Capn'O]

SGA is a foul merchant but he's also really really good.

[stuporman]

Has any team been the darling and villain of the league at the same time?

Read on Twitter

How soon we forget

Watch on YouTube

Kobe worked hard, had the right mentality and played the right way in a more physical era, he didn't have the villain aura about him unless you were an opponent who couldn't beat him, then you hated him.

[bbms]

Ant man got shut down!!!!!!!

he doesn't belong here just how i don't belong in a ring with canelo or inoue

You need a dominant playmaking wing/big with the right supporting cast to break apart this OKC defense. Ironically, the pre-Luka trade Mavs would of been best equipped to attack OKC

that team was amazing

[Slade3]

Minny implosion.

Denver could end up being OKC's toughest series of the playoffs.

SGA shoots under 40% for the fifth time in this postseason. OKC is 4-1 in those games and the only loss came in OT.

Denver and Jokic lost. Learn to deal with it.

[CobraCommander]

Ant at best the 5th best player in the game after SGA, Randle, Dub and Chet. He needs to step up 2 levels from this game.

Same thoughts - but dorts defense was more impactful as well - I got ant at 6th at best

[Wile E. Coyote]

Minnesota has to play in sixth gear to win this series and they only have five in their transmission.

[CobraCommander]

Listen to that Toronto accent. MVP.

Northern American accent - lol

[bluemj32]

I had OKC in 5... not seeing anything that changes my mind. This team was perfectly constructed to win it all. The Hartenstein and Caruso pickups were the icing on the cake.

Yep, I know it's one game but unless Ant goes into God mode I don't see this going 6 or7 at all.

OKC grew up last series and Denver was the perfect time for them to be tested.


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[azcatz11]

70-40 in the second half. Beatdown.

Pretty disappointed to watch as a neutral.

I’m trying to imagine a universe OKC doesn’t win a world championship

[HotRocks34]

Minny implosion.

Denver could end up being OKC's toughest series of the playoffs.

SGA shoots under 40% for the fifth time in this postseason. OKC is 4-1 in those games and the only loss came in OT.

Denver and Jokic lost. Learn to deal with it.

They did? I didn't realize that.

We will see if that was OKC's toughest test.