2024/25 NBA West Finals - Timberwolves at Thunder (Game 2)
The Oklahoma City Thunder lead the West Finals 1-0 after an impressive 114–88 victory over the Timberwolves in Game 1. Can the T-Wolves come back in Game 2 or will the Thunder make it 2-0? Here is a betting preview of Game 2.
Minnesota Timberwolves at Oklahoma City Thunder (OKC leads series 1-0)
The Timberwolves head into Game 2 against the Thunder looking to bounce back after a tough loss in Oklahoma City, where they dropped Game 1 by a big margin (88-114). Anthony Edwards struggled a bit against the Thunder’s defence, putting up 18 points on 38.5% shooting, while Julius Randle had a solid outing with 28 points and 8 boards.
Minnesota will definitely need Edwards to step up if they want to even the series. Coach Chris Finch knows the team needs to stay locked in and focus on each play moving forward, rather than dwelling on that rough first game. The Wolves have been pretty solid lately, going 6-3 against the spread over their last 9 games and winning 16 of their last 20 overall.
They also have a decent record against Oklahoma City, both straight up and ATS, but their road games tend to be lower scoring, with the total going under in 5 of their last 6 away matches. Defensive tweaks will be key if Minnesota wants to find some offensive rhythm and put up a better fight in Game 2.
The Oklahoma City Thunder came out firing in Game 1, dominating the Timberwolves 114-88 at home. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was the star, dropping 31 points with 9 assists and 5 rebounds, really turning it on in the second half when the Thunder outscored Minnesota 70-40.
Jalen Williams also chipped in with 19 points and solid all-around numbers. The Thunder are ranked first in the conference and have been tough to beat at home, going 7-1 in their last eight home games. They’re favoured by 7.5 points for this one, and after that Game 1 performance, it looks like they can cover.
That said, Oklahoma City has struggled a bit against the spread lately, going 3-7 in their last 10, and a lot of their recent games have stayed under the total. The total has also gone under in most matchups against Minnesota, so expect a strong defensive effort again as they try to keep control of the series.
Stadium Record
Oklahoma City are 7-1 in its last 8 games at home. Minnesota are 6-3 in its last 9 games when playing on the road against Oklahoma City.
Head to Head Record
The head to head is tied 5-5 in the last 10 meetings. This season, the Thunder have won 3 of 5 matchups.
Best Bet
After scoring just 88 pts in Game 1, the Thunder's defence is on fire and I think the Under should be the best bet in Game 2. It's now 5-0 in the Timberwolves last 5 playoff games and has saluted in 5 of their last 6 road games. The Under is also 4-2 in the Thunder's last 6 games.
Same Game Multi
I think the Thunder go up 2-0 after a 26 pt win in Game 1. They're now 7-1 in their last 8 home games and their defence should be the key in a Game 2 victory. Shai kicked off the West finals with 31 pts and has scored 30+ in 4 straight games. Until Minnesota get a matchup for him, 30+ should be a nice bet.
Under 214.5 pts / Thunder Win / Shai Gilgeous-Alexander 30+ pts = $4.00
