2025 NBA Western Conference finals odds, Game 2 picks: Thunder vs. Timberwolves predictions from proven expert

The Oklahoma City Thunder will look to take a commanding 2-0 series lead when they battle the Minnesota Timberwolves in Game 2 of their best-of-seven Western Conference final on Thursday. Oklahoma City cruised to a 114-88 win in the opener on Tuesday. The Timberwolves (49-33), who lost in five games to the Dallas Mavericks in last year’s conference finals, are looking for their first NBA title. The Thunder (68-14), who have not reached the NBA Finals since 2011-2012, last won an NBA championship in 1978-1979, when the team was based in Seattle.

Tip-off from Paycom Center in Oklahoma City is set for 8:30 p.m. ET. The Thunder are 7.5-point favorites in the latest Thunder vs. Timberwolves odds from DraftKings Sportsbook, while the over/under for total points scored is 214.5. Before making any Timberwolves vs. Thunder picks, be sure to see the NBA predictions from SportsLine’s Matt Severance, who is on a huge 161-89-1 roll on his NBA money-line picks that has returned more than 32 units. 

Now, Severance has analyzed Timberwolves vs. Thunder and just revealed his coveted NBA picks and betting predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see his picks. Here are several NBA odds and NBA betting lines for Timberwolves vs. Thunder. Use a DraftKings promo code, a FanDuel promo code or a BetMGM promo code to get started. 

Why the Thunder can cover

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is coming off a near double-double in the series opener, scoring 31 points, while adding nine assists, five rebounds and three steals. In 12 postseason games, all starts, he is averaging 29.2 points, 6.6 assists, 5.8 rebounds and 1.6 steals in 36.8 minutes. He poured in 35 points, while dishing out four assists, grabbing three rebounds and making three steals in a 125-93 win over the Denver Nuggets in Game 7 of that series on Sunday. 

Also helping power Oklahoma City is forward Jalen Williams. He opened the conference finals with a 19-point, eight-rebound, five-steal and five-assist performance on Tuesday. He had 24 points, while adding seven assists and five boards in the Game 7 win over the Nuggets. In 12 playoff starts, he is averaging 19.6 points, 5.7 assists, 5.6 rebounds and 1.8 steals in 34.8 minutes. See which team to back at SportsLine.

Why the Timberwolves can cover

Minnesota will look to even the series behind shooting guard Anthony Edwards. In the Game 1 loss, Edwards registered a near double-double with 18 points, nine rebounds, three assists and one block. He had 22 points, 12 assists, seven rebounds, three blocks and one steal in a 121-110 win over the Golden State Warriors in Game 5 of the Western Conference semifinals on May 14. In 11 postseason starts, he is averaging 25.7 points, 8.1 rebounds, 5.6 assists and 1.4 steals in 39.6 minutes.

Power forward Julius Randle continued his playoff dominance in the series opener. In that game, he scored 28 points, while adding eight rebounds. In the Game 5 win over Golden State, he poured in 29 points, grabbed eight rebounds and dished out five assists. In 11 playoff games, all starts, he is averaging 24.3 points, 6.1 rebounds and 5.5 assists in 37.5 minutes. See which team to back at SportsLine. 

How to make Thunder vs. Timberwolves picks

Now, Severance has locked in another confident against-the-spread pick for Timberwolves vs. Thunder. He is leaning Under on the total, but he knows a crucial X-factor makes one side of the spread a must-back. You absolutely need to see what it is before locking in any picks of your own.    

So who wins Timberwolves vs. Thunder, and what X-factor makes one side of the spread hit hard? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the Thunder vs. Timberwolves spread to jump on, all from the expert who has returned over $4,400 on his NBA picks over the past three seasons, and find out.