The Western Conference Finals are officially locked in — and this matchup is pure chaos in the best way. The top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder are coming off a league-best 68-14 season, their highest win total since the 2013-14 campaign. But they’re up against the playoff wrecking crew known as the Minnesota Timberwolves, who bulldozed the Warriors and sent shockwaves through the West with their elite defense and balanced attack.

Both teams are battle-hardened. OKC just survived a grueling seven-game slugfest with the 2023 champs, proving they can thrive in the fire. Meanwhile, Minnesota is riding the Anthony Edwards wave straight into title contention. No underdogs.

Mark Your Calendars: The Full Western Conference Finals Schedule

The series kicks off Tuesday, May 20, at the Paycom Center in OKC, expected to be rocking like a sold-out concert, followed by Game 2 on May 22. The Thunder host the first two games. Then the series shifts to Minnesota’s Target Center for Games 3 and 4 (May 24 and 26), where the Timberwolves will lean on their home crowd to keep the momentum rolling. If the series extends past four games, the venues alternate.

The battle could rage on with Game 5, if needed, igniting Oklahoma City’s Paycom Center on Wednesday, May 28, followed by a potential Game 6 showdown at Minnesota’s Target Center on Friday, May 30, as both teams fight for a Finals berth. A possible Game 7 is set for Sunday, June 1, back in OKC.

All games tip off at 8:30 p.m. ET, except a potential Game 7 which would start slightly earlier at 8:00 p.m. ET. They’ll be broadcast live on ESPN or ABC, with streaming options on fuboTV and ESPN’s digital platforms. No excuses — every clutch shot and buzzer-beater will be right there in real-time.

Whether you’re watching from your couch, at a watch party, or on the go, this series will be right at your fingertips. Get ready for a rollercoaster of unforgettable moments as basketball history unfolds.

History & High-Stakes: A Wild West Showdown

This isn’t just about bragging rights — these teams are chasing legacies. Minnesota made franchise history by reaching back-to-back Western Conference Finals in 2024 and 2025. It’s the first time they’ve done this. This marks a remarkable turnaround after years of struggles. Historically, the Timberwolves were more often a punchline than a powerhouse. They had only one deep run before, in 2004, led by Kevin Garnett. That year, they lost to the Shaq-Kobe Lakers. Now, their young core — Anthony Edwards, Jaden McDaniels, and Rudy Gobert — aims to reach the NBA Finals for the first time ever.

The Timberwolves dominated this postseason, knocking out the Lakers in five games by an average of nearly nine points per game, then dispatching the Warriors in five games, winning the final four by nearly 12 points on average. Anthony Edwards has been the engine, averaging 27.6 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 4.5 assists per game in the 2025 playoffs, shooting 48% from the field and 37% from deep. Gobert’s defense has anchored the team, while McDaniels’ two-way play has been critical in both series.

The Thunder occupy a similar position. They haven’t gone this deep since 2016 and want to reach the Finals for the first time since 2012, when Durant, Westbrook, and Harden led the way. Led by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams, OKC posted a league-best 68-14 record and the best point differential in NBA history this season. They survived a brutal seven-game war with the battle-tested Denver Nuggets. SGA proved his clutch ability by averaging 32.7 points, 6.4 assists and 5.0 rebounds per game in these playoffs, shooting 51.9% from the field and 37% from deep. Meanwhile, Jalen Williams emerged as a reliable secondary scorer and playmaker, and Chet Holmgren provided elite rim protection.

Here’s the kicker: Three of the four remaining teams — the Thunder, Timberwolves, and Pacers — have never won an NBA title. Whoever makes the Finals will write new franchise history. To add to the drama, 2025 will crown the seventh different NBA champion in seven years — the longest such streak in league history. The league has never seen this much parity and excitement.

In short, this Western Conference Finals isn’t just another series. Ultimately, these teams fight for bragging rights, history, and a shot at glory — and with stars like Edwards and SGA playing at an elite level, the stakes and spectacle have never been higher.