2025 WESTERN CONFERENCE FINALS: #1 Oklahoma City Thunder vs #6 Minnesota Timberwolves (OKC leads 2-0)

[Ari_Emanuel]

Witnessing greatness

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It's funny seeing people downplay him as a FT Merchant. What they ignore is how much he scores even without the FT's. There's a reason why he draws so many fouls and it's because if you give him space, you're screwed. Defenders trying to take space away is why he gets so many calls.

Exactly

[firedavidkahn]

There's a legitimate reason this OKC team won 68 games with one of the highest margins ever.

They are THAT good when they are clicking. Congrats to the Thunder fans, y'all are probably winning the title.

Looks like we're about to head to cancun soon.

[Ssj16]

In 2014, Dallas took San Antonio to Game 7 in Round 1. The Spurs waltzed to the title after that series. We've seen it happen before.

2008, somehow the Atlanta Hawks took the Celtics to 7 games in Round 1, but the Lakers lose in 6 in the Finals to the Big 3.

So we're just crowning OKC before games are played now?

They can be beaten.

I never said they couldn't. I just wrote that it wouldn't be the first time an early round series ended up being the toughest matchup for a championship team. Heck, the Kobe and Shaq Lakers had tougher matchups with Portland, San Antonio and Sacramento than the Finals through their 3-peat years.

I find that there are a subset of people on this board who are unable to think in a nuanced, objective way and I agree with everything you're stating.

[Ssj16]

Shhhh they’re in “next ten titles are ours” filter atm. No sense to bring to the table

I just find it weird how they can forget, and it just happened.

I would argue (and argued prior to the series) that Denver was a really good matchup vs. OKC. I.e. OKC's level vs. the rest of the field is higher than Denver's but Denver's matchup vs. OKC was the best in the league.

It was a hell of a series though and even closer than I figured. They may have something with the Adelman kid.

Personally I feel like this is insulting to the Nuggets. Clippers were supposed to dog walk the Nuggets as well but Denver took them to 7. I think Denver proved they are a good playoff team.

[Ssj16]

Lakers lost in 5 to this Minnesota Puppies team?

Lmao

This was the same Lakers that some predicted going to the finals after the Luka trade.

[2weekswithpay]

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[MrBigShot]

No, they're not. It's Minny's turn.

Minny's turn at getting swept maybe.

Absolutely no shot whatsoever Minny wins 4 out of 5 vs this OKC team.

Are you one of those folks who had Lakers in five? Nothing is ever done until it's done. Now that don't mean the fat lady isn't warming up her pipes. It would be the greatest come from behind series in a very long time.

The lakers were a semi decent team that never had any business going all the way. Minny's roster up to par with them.

OKC is absolutely loaded. Remove SGA (the MVP of the league) from the equation and you still have Jdub (two way all star), Chet, Hartenstein, Caruso, and several other role serviceable players who can make hold their own in rotations mins.

They are well coached, play cohesive basketball and are tenacious defensively. They won 68 games, and unlike Cleveland, they have an actual superstar. Minny has no chance to win this series barring an SGA injury.

[MrBigShot]

2024 and 2025 Haliburton are basically two different players.

[greekman]

okc without sga isn't even a playoff team.

[Upperclass]

Give Minn the same calls.. OKC still wins? Nope.

[Upperclass]

Lakers lost in 5 to this Minnesota Puppies team?

Lmao

This was the same Lakers that some predicted going to the finals after the Luka trade.

Lakers were a 10 seed when they got luka.. Lakers were a 7/8 seed masquerading as a 3 seed.

[RunOKC]

Give Minn the same calls.. OKC still wins? Nope.

Minn has no one who can blow by their defender like Shai (at least against this Thunder defense) to even attempt to get the same calls

Skill issue

[Upperclass]

Give Minn the same calls.. OKC still wins? Nope.

Minn has no one who can blow by their defender like Shai (at least against this Thunder defense) to even attempt to get the same calls

Skill issue

Shai’s calls are with a defender in front or next to.. no blowing by being done. Ant was at the rim everytime he had the ball in game 2

[wang000hk]

Nuggets gave Thunder more trouble because they have arguably the best trio in NBA with Jokic-Murray-Gordon, not just talent alone but also the play style and chemistry
Thunder had to give 100% effort to win that series in 7 games

The best 3 Wolves players are nowhere close to that level

[Raps in 4]

Give Minn the same calls.. OKC still wins? Nope.

Minny does get the same calls. They shot more FTs than OKC in game 2, and just a few FTs less in game. Minny lost because they got outplayed. The games weren't even close.

[durden_tyler]

Give Minn the same calls.. OKC still wins? Nope.

Minny does get the same calls. They shot more FTs than OKC in game 2, and just a few FTs less in game. Minny lost because they got outplayed. The games weren't even close.

No, they don't. They'll get the same calls in Game 3 and it's OKC fans who'll be whining is my expectation for the next game.

[Doranku]

Lakers lost in 5 to this Minnesota Puppies team?

Lmao

The Lakers have 4 NBA caliber players on their roster. I don't know why people are surprised lol they had no business being the 3 seed in the first place. Minnesota is not a very good team, but the Lakers SUCK

[MikRay]

Give Minn the same calls.. OKC still wins? Nope.

Minny does get the same calls. They shot more FTs than OKC in game 2, and just a few FTs less in game. Minny lost because they got outplayed. The games weren't even close.

No, they don't. They'll get the same calls in Game 3 and it's OKC fans who'll be whining is my expectation for the next game.

Lmao

The old Minnesota thing it’s the refs fault. lol

No - OKC is light years ahead of Minnesota and always has the best player on the floor. They are a vastly superior team.

[Doranku]

How does getting rid of Gobert help the Timberwolves win a championship? The last time the Timberwolves got rid of a great defensive big they didn’t make the playoffs again for 15 years.

Nah, we are NOT going to compare Rudy Gobert to Kevin **** Garnett. HELL no.

How about Tyson Chandler on the Mavs then? Did losing Tyson Chandler help the Mavs win a championship?

Lol, Tyson Chandler took up a mere $13mil in capspace, losing what he provided for that amount obviously hurt. Gobert is making $40mil a year for fans to completely gloss over the fact that he is (yet AGAIN) unplayable in a playoff series as if this is something that's normal for a 4 time DPOY making close to max contract money.

[Dadouv47]

Minny should change a bit their line up if they want to bother us and I think they showed some great signs of it in the 4rd quarter of game 2. They should play smaller and more Mcdaniels/NAW together would bother Shai/JDub and our team overall.