NBA Basketball
2025-05-24 - Oklahoma City Thunder at Minnesota Timberwolves
A Sports Betting Pick by FirstDown
United States : NBA Basketball Playoff Western Conference Finals Game 3
Saturday 24th May 2025 - Scheduled 8:30pm
1:30am (British Time)
Preview
There are still six games from which the Minnesota Timberwolves need four wins if they are going to be playing in the NBA Finals. but the pressure begins in Game 3. Twice in a row, a competitive first half was replaced by a second half in which the Timberwolves struggled and they are now 2-0 down in the Series.
The NBA remains the only US Sport in which a Playoff has not been lost when a team has moved into a 3-0 lead and that is the prospect that the Minnesota Timberwolves have to face.
It would be tough to beat any opponent from that position, but to try and beat the Number 1 Seed Oklahoma City Thunder who have looked right amongst the elite over the last couple of seasons is going to be that much more of a mountain to climb.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has just been awarded the regular season MVP award and he has been in strong form in the Western Conference Finals, but also being well backed by some of the team-mates around him. Perhaps most importantly is the fact that the Oklahoma City Thunder feel like they are wearing down the Timberwolves with their Defensive scheme and intensity.
Turnovers are becoming very important for the Thunder, although you have to factor in how much more difficult it will be when playing on the road. They are not the Number 1 Seed for no reason though and Oklahoma City have won some tough games already on the road, while the momentum is with them with teams leading 2-0 having a 4-1 record against the spread in the last five times this situation has come up in the Western Conference.
Minnesota can expect Julius Randle to have a stronger game after an underwhelming Game 2 and the role players should be better at home. Anthony Edwards tried to put the team on his back, but he will need support and the Timberwolves can comfort themselves from the fact that teams that have suffered blowout losses in Game 2 have bounced back in Game 3 in the recent Conference Finals played.
It will still need something special from the hosts to do that and the Thunder look to have all of the answers right now.
The expectation has to be this will be more competitive right through to the back end of the Fourth Quarter, but the Thunder have shown their ability to win clutch games during this Playoff run and can do the same here.
Small road favourites have been on a poor run in the Conference Finals, but so have big favourites and that did not stop the Oklahoma City Thunder covering twice in this Series already.
Prediction
Lay the points with the road favourite.
The Pick :
Minnesota Timberwolves 104-108 Oklahoma City
