The Western Conference finals between the Minnesota Timberwolves and Oklahoma City Thunder tip off on Tuesday at 8:30 p.m. ET on ESPN. The two teams are led by young stars Anthony Edwards and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who look to make their first NBA Finals appearance.
The Timberwolves, coming from a five-game series win over the Golden State Warriors, face a rested Thunder team that went all seven games against the Denver Nuggets. This matchup promises to be an intriguing one, with both teams boasting strong records (25-6 for the Timberwolves and 28-6 for the Thunder) in the last two seasons.
A key bet to consider is Shai Gilgeous-Alexander over 31.5 points (-115), as he has consistently produced monster games against the Timberwolves, averaging 34.5 PPG in their last eight matchups. Meanwhile, Anthony Edwards under 25.5 points (-120) seems likely, given his recent struggles to score above this line, which he’s gone under in six of his past eight games against the Thunder.
Rudy Gobert may struggle against the Thunder’s strong defensive unit, potentially creating opportunities for Naz Reid to excel with open jumpers and playmaking ability. The Timberwolves are listed at +7.5 over the Thunder (-120), but this spread seems too large considering their recent head-to-head matchups have been closely contested.
Injury reports show that the Thunder’s Nikola Topic will not play due to a knee injury, which could impact their defensive performance.
Stay tuned for more updates and analysis as the Western Conference finals get underway.
Source: https://www.espn.com/espn/betting/story/_/id/45239873/nba-playoffs-betting-bets-western-conference-finals-timberwolves-thunder