2025 WESTERN CONFERENCE FINALS: #1 Oklahoma City Thunder vs #6 Minnesota Timberwolves (OKC leads 3-1)

Castle Black · Post #1041 » by **Castle Black** » Tue May 27, 2025 4:32 am

Minnesota's 2 best players just went a combined 6/20 from the field at home with their season on the line... They're not ready for this. Ant, while extremely talented, is not that guy yet. Still has a lot of maturing to do. And Julius Randle isn't a winning player imo. He's been really bad 2 out of the 4 games in this series and just constantly disappears when his team needs him most. Minnesota's lack of a productive PG has killed them this series as well.

This will be over in 5, just like I predicted before the series when I said OKC was going to steamroll their way to a Championship after beating Denver in 7. They'll beat the EC Champion in 5 too. It's a wrap, and anyone who thinks NY or Indy has a chance against them is lying to themselves. This season is over. OKC will be your Champs.

XTC · Post #1042 » by **XTC** » Tue May 27, 2025 4:32 am

Look I'm as big of a Conley fan as anyone, but the fact Minnesota couldn't get a legit starting point guard is dumb af. Conley at this point of his career shouldn't be starting.

DudetheObscure · Post #1043 » by **DudetheObscure** » Tue May 27, 2025 4:33 am

Rubio9Guy wrote:
azcatz11 wrote:
Rubio9Guy wrote:One of the most frustrating losses I can remember.

Credit to OKC for pulling it out, but man the Wolves should have won this.

I disagree. SGA took over and Chet was huge. They are better no shame

I mean yeah, but if Ant or Julius show up, or they give up 3 fewer offensive rebounds, or turn the ball over once or 2 fewer times, they win that games.

OKC big 3 were awesome tonight, but Wolves gave that game away.

Read on Twitter

?s=19

Mephariel · Post #1044 » by **Mephariel** » Tue May 27, 2025 4:46 am

RandomRaptorfan wrote:Ant was playing scared out there but he'll learn. He's only 23. If he plays like this at 26-27 I'll be worried for him. OKC is the better team plain and simple. With or without the refs they are executing better and making less mistakes (besides the game 3 blowout obviously).

I am not sure if the issue was him playing scare. He needs more crafty ways to score. So much of his game is pull up 3 pointers and cross-drive to the paint. He should seriously imitate Shai. What happened to his post game? Just be patient, get space, and shoot a middy. Not that hard. He also needs a floater.

Castle Black · Post #1045 » by **Castle Black** » Tue May 27, 2025 4:47 am

Like I said, Ant still has a lot of maturing to do.

Read on Twitter

Post #1046 » by **G R E Y** » Tue May 27, 2025 4:47 am

Ant has a ways to go as the #1 target of playoff defenses.

Randle is Jekyll/Hyde.

Six míssed z ft go

Wolves on brink of extinction in OKC.

Upperclass · Post #1047 » by **Upperclass** » Tue May 27, 2025 4:47 am

Minnesota has nothing to complain about. That might be the best reffed game ive seen. They let both teams play and OKC took it to em.

SkyHook · Post #1048 » by **SkyHook** » Tue May 27, 2025 4:48 am

XTC wrote:Look I'm as big of a Conley fan as anyone, but the fact Minnesota couldn't get a legit starting point guard is dumb af. Conley at this point of his career shouldn't be starting.

Yes, but despite his individual stats, the team performs better more often than not with him as the floor general than without. Can't change the roster now, but Finch should prioritize his and Rudy's minutes over DDV & Reid, imo.

MN7725 · Post #1049 » by **MN7725** » Tue May 27, 2025 4:52 am

DrModesty wrote:
MN7725 wrote:
DrModesty wrote:
Wolves have had an extremely strong supporting cast around him these past 3 years. You compare them to OKC right now and it is a quite narrow talent gap. Last year the Wolves were the closest rival to Boston when it came to depth of talent, and they should have put Dallas away. The year before they dealt with injuries and weren't a mature team but still had a ton of talent on the roster.

But I feel like this run of the past few years is going to represent the most talent the Wolves can fit around Antman. They really built him a very strong squad. It is going to be extremely expensive to retain all of this talent going beyond this year (which is a big part of why they traded KAT).

Wolves have horrible PG play, easily the worst PG rotation of playoff teams each of the last two years

This is a bit of an indictment on Ant though. If he was more capable of running an offense this wouldn't be the case. He can still grow in to it, but they probably won't be able to stack the roster as much by the time that happens. As it is they have an extremely strong roster at the other positions and out talent most other playoff squads.

I think it would be easier to get even to a mediocre PG rotation instead

rather have ANT be able to have energy to play defense more consistently than being main ball handler,

DrModesty · Post #1050 » by **DrModesty** » Tue May 27, 2025 4:55 am

MN7725 wrote:
DrModesty wrote:
MN7725 wrote:
Wolves have horrible PG play, easily the worst PG rotation of playoff teams each of the last two years

This is a bit of an indictment on Ant though. If he was more capable of running an offense this wouldn't be the case. He can still grow in to it, but they probably won't be able to stack the roster as much by the time that happens. As it is they have an extremely strong roster at the other positions and out talent most other playoff squads.

I think it would be easier to get even to a mediocre PG rotation instead

rather have ANT be able to have energy to play defense more consistently than being main ball handler,

Which point guard are you thinking of here, and what part of the roster are you sacrificing to fit him in?

MN7725 · Post #1051 » by **MN7725** » Tue May 27, 2025 4:57 am

DrModesty wrote:
MN7725 wrote:
DrModesty wrote:
This is a bit of an indictment on Ant though. If he was more capable of running an offense this wouldn't be the case. He can still grow in to it, but they probably won't be able to stack the roster as much by the time that happens. As it is they have an extremely strong roster at the other positions and out talent most other playoff squads.

I think it would be easier to get even to a mediocre PG rotation instead

rather have ANT be able to have energy to play defense more consistently than being main ball handler,

Which point guard are you thinking of here, and what part of the roster are you sacrificing to fit him in?

Malcolm Brogdon on a minimum contract

Ambrose · Post #1052 » by **Ambrose** » Tue May 27, 2025 4:59 am

Mephariel wrote:
RandomRaptorfan wrote:Ant was playing scared out there but he'll learn. He's only 23. If he plays like this at 26-27 I'll be worried for him. OKC is the better team plain and simple. With or without the refs they are executing better and making less mistakes (besides the game 3 blowout obviously).

I am not sure if the issue was him playing scare. He needs more crafty ways to score. So much of his game is pull up 3 pointers and cross-drive to the paint. He should seriously imitate Shai. What happened to his post game? Just be patient, get space, and shoot a middy. Not that hard. He also needs a floater.

His game has gotten less diverse. His 3pt shooting took a big leap but he's completely abandoned his middle and post games. So it's 3 or layup and nothing in between, which tends to lead to more duds come playoff time.

levon · Post #1053 » by **levon** » Tue May 27, 2025 5:05 am

DrModesty wrote:
MN7725 wrote:
DrModesty wrote:
Wolves have had an extremely strong supporting cast around him these past 3 years. You compare them to OKC right now and it is a quite narrow talent gap. Last year the Wolves were the closest rival to Boston when it came to depth of talent, and they should have put Dallas away. The year before they dealt with injuries and weren't a mature team but still had a ton of talent on the roster.

But I feel like this run of the past few years is going to represent the most talent the Wolves can fit around Antman. They really built him a very strong squad. It is going to be extremely expensive to retain all of this talent going beyond this year (which is a big part of why they traded KAT).

Wolves have horrible PG play, easily the worst PG rotation of playoff teams each of the last two years

This is a bit of an indictment on Ant though. If he was more capable of running an offense this wouldn't be the case. He can still grow in to it, but they probably won't be able to stack the roster as much by the time that happens. As it is they have an extremely strong roster at the other positions and out talent most other playoff squads.

Agreed. The Thunder don't have stellar point guard play either. SGA is their de facto point guard and they don't even have a compelling backup.

Post #1054 » by **dakomish23** » Tue May 27, 2025 5:07 am

I thought MIN would put up more of a fight. Maybe they do and take game 5.

knicksfan974 · Post #1055 » by **knicksfan974** » Tue May 27, 2025 5:12 am

durden_tyler wrote:
Ari_Emanuel wrote:Listening to JDubb speak...he's so mature and well spoken.

So basically OKC is more talented, deeper, smarter, and more poised than any other team.

The league is cooked.

They could very well win in this year but not dynastic enough methinks, more because of the parity in the league. We've seen the same reactions when the Bucks and Nuggets won their titles. IT IS difficult to win back to back titles and even moreso, establish a dynasty.

Congrats to the Thunder for winning the title this year though. They deserve it.

So a team that just two days ago was destroyed by 40 points now suddendly after a close win is the champ? I think not so fast, still lot of basketball to be played. Even if the Thunder advances, the east has two strong teams who can go toe-to-toe with this Thunder team.

lethalizer · Post #1056 » by **lethalizer** » Tue May 27, 2025 5:13 am

dakomish23 wrote:I thought MIN would put up more of a fight. Maybe they do and take game 5.

Don't think you watched the game if this is your takeaway.

Minnesota threw one of its best punches tonight. Thunder just threw a counterpunch basically every time. Besides the intentional fouling, Thunder took only 2 free throws the entire second half. Jumpshot after jumpshot, it was elite shotmaking.

TheGOATRises007 · Post #1057 » by **TheGOATRises007** » Tue May 27, 2025 5:22 am

dakomish23 wrote:I thought MIN would put up more of a fight. Maybe they do and take game 5.

Minnesota played pretty well. Yes they had turnovers and gave up too many offensively rebounds, but they battled the hell out of this game.

OKC are just a better team and SGA is better than ANT.

durden_tyler · Post #1058 » by **durden_tyler** » Tue May 27, 2025 5:26 am

dakomish23 wrote:I thought MIN would put up more of a fight. Maybe they do and take game 5.

The Wolves did fight this game. If not for clutch baskets from Holmgrem and Williams, they might have tied this series up. Maybe you are referring to the Knicks in Game 4.

powerball1373 · Post #1059 » by **powerball1373** » Tue May 27, 2025 6:07 am

CobraCommander wrote:
powerball1373 wrote:OKC postgame interview so gay lol

Marvin Martian · Post #1060 » by **Marvin Martian** » Tue May 27, 2025 6:14 am

XTC wrote:Look I'm as big of a Conley fan as anyone, but the fact Minnesota couldn't get a legit starting point guard is dumb af. Conley at this point of his career shouldn't be starting.

I mean there has to be a reason why they made the trade for Dilingham. Weird that he hasn't made an impact this season

Omg you guys who wins Game 4??